First I am very glad to see your paper has recognized there is a problem
on the western border of the state and began reporting it. I hope you
continue to look into this problem so there will be interest in a permanent
fix to the problem and not the Band-Aid approach each year we have reduced
rainfall or increased power requirements.
The article in today’s Opinions Column is correct except for:
1. The second company is Central Louisiana Electric Company Inc. Not Cooperative
as printed.
2. The lake is dropping about one tenth foot per day. Not one tenth per
month as was printed in your article.
Your readers may also be interested in power production from Toledo Bend.
As of July 14, 1998, 218,076-megawatt hours of electricity had been produced
for 1998. In August, according to SRA Attorney Bill Boone in the August
5, 1998, meeting at Cleco, another 17,600 mwh is scheduled to be produced.
The same amount Boone said was produced in July. The annual average power
production from Toledo Bend is 204,000-megawatt hours. Yet the companies
want to keep producing power until the lake is at the bottom of the power
pool 162.2 msl or they have taken their Peaking Period requirement of
65,700 Mwh. The Sabine River Authorities of both Texas and Louisiana state
their hands are tied to stop it.
The Federal Power Commission (now the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission)
granted a license to operate Toledo Bend October 14, 1963.
On page three of that document paragraph (6) of The Commission Finds –
it states "The project will be best adapted to a comprehensive plan
for improving and developing a waterway or waterways for the use or benefit
of interstate or foreign commerce, for the improvement and utilization
of water-power development, and for beneficial public uses, including
recreational purposes, upon compliance with the terms and conditions hereinafter
imposed".
In Article 37 of the license it states "The reservoir operation
schedule shall be adjusted to accommodate the recreational use of the
reservoir as far as such adjustment is compatible with the primary purpose
of the project and requirements of downstream releases".
The funny thing about this license is that it was granted to the Sabine
River Authorities of Louisiana and Texas not the power companies. The
SRA's are responsible for operation of the reservoir. Both the SRA's and
the Companies refer to the Power Sales Agreement. They both state that
the Companies are entitled to generate the lake down to the bottom of
the power pool 162.2' msl to obtain their Peaking Period Power May - September
annually. There is one paragraph in The Power Sales Agreement under Article
V Section 5.05 that is very interesting, it states - "Notwithstanding
any provision of this Agreement, Authorities reserve and shall have the
right, at any time and from time to time, to construct, maintain and operate
Authorities' facilities and control their reservoirs in such a manner
as Authorities deem necessary in order to comply with orders and regulations
of any governmental authority
having jurisdiction over same, and to control properly the flow of the
Sabine River for the purpose of performing and exercising Authorities'
legal duties, rights and functions, and nothing in this Agreement shall
in any way interfere with the full and complete performance thereof. Notice
to the Companies of such operations will be given by the Authorities whenever
feasible".
One of the constitutional duties includes recreation use of the waters
of the Sabine River and Toledo Bend Project.
The cost of letting this lake be generated to 162.2'msl will not only
be adversely felt this year in Desota, Sabine and Vernon Parishes of Louisiana
and Sabine, Newton and San Augustine Counties of Texas, it will be felt
into next year. If not the full recreational season of 1999. Remember
the lake must recover from this draining. If only
average inflows are received each month beginning in October, if this
lake is taken to 162.2' msl, it will be February before the lake is back
to 168' msl. The minimum level requested by the citizen and marina groups
at Toledo Bend from both Texas and Louisiana. 168' msl is still four feet
below pool stage of 172' msl.
The power companies state they can not use the power production from Toledo
Bend as reserve power. They say Toledo Bend power can not be brought on
line within 10 minutes. They have been asked to explore an exception to
that time requirement. However, reading from the information the FERC
presents on its internet site concerning
Hydropower, Hydropower is considered immediately available.
I agree that the power companies should be cautious. I also believe that
the state of Louisiana and Texas through their Sabine River Authorities
should be cautious also, they should be very cautious about abdicating
their responsibility to operate the reservoir to the power companies.
Thank You,
Larry E. Kelly
210 Hillcrest Drive
Anacoco, Sabine Parish, La. 71403
(318) 286-9946
