Helms Uprate Project

The Proposed Project, located in Fresno County, California, is associated with a pending non-capacity license amendment for PG&E’s Helms Pumped Storage Project (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Project No. 2735) that transfers water to and from Courtright Lake and Wishon Reservoir for power generation. Courtright Lake (upper reservoir) is impounded by Courtright Dam on Helms Creek and Wishon Reservoir (lower reservoir) is impounded by Wishon Dam on the North Fork Kings River. The Proposed Project would replace the three existing pump-turbine generator units in Helms Powerhouse with more efficient, higher-capacity units that would result in an increase in the Helms Pumped Storage Project’s normal operating capacity of 180,000 kilowatts (a 14.9 percent increase) and a maximum hydraulic capacity increase of about1,550 cubic feet per second (a 14.8 percent increase). The Proposed Project would include the use and improvement of existing staging areas, construction of a warehouse with utilities, limited tree removal, grading, utility extensions, equipment transport, and related construction support activities within existing PG&E property. Construction is anticipated to begin in 2029 and last for approximately three years.