Ware Shoals Hydroelectric Project

The dam has not generated power since November 2022. Seepage and other concerns with the left canal abutment prompted FERC to require the impoundment to be lowered and risk reduction measures to be implemented. After examining all options to address these issues, Aquenergy concluded it is not economically feasible to return the project to service.

We have implemented a set of interim risk reduction measures (IRRMs) under FERC oversight. These include keeping the water level 10–17 feet below the normal operating level, enhanced monitoring of the abutment, and maintaining an audible alarm to alert the public if evacuation of the recreation area becomes necessary. These measures are designed to minimize risk while the decommissioning process proceeds.

Currently, all inflows are passed downstream through the open Tainter gate and over the spillway. Under Alternative 1 (dam removal), the river would return to a natural flow regime with no impoundment. Under Alternative 2 (dam retained), flow would pass over the dam, with the reservoir restored to its normal level at dam crest.

The fishing access trail and canoe portage remain open today. Long-term, Alternative 1 would shift recreational character from lake activities (motorboating, jet skiing) to river activities (paddling, non-motorized boating). Alternative 2 would largely preserve existing recreational conditions.

The project area supports warmwater fisheries typical of the South Carolina Piedmont region. Dam removal would return the area to a more riverine habitat; dam retention would restore a stable impoundment. No impacts are anticipated to the three federally listed species with potential presence in the area — the tricolored bat, red-cockaded woodpecker, and monarch butterfly.

The Initial Consultation Document was shared with select agencies and stakeholders and had a 60-day written comment period. Following the public meeting on Monday, July 13, a 30-day written comment window will be available. When the Draft Surrender Application is filed — currently anticipated for August 2026 — it will be published on the FERC public docket, opening a formal opportunity for public written comment. The Final Surrender Application will also be available for public comment on the FERC docket.

This FERC proceeding will occur under the project docket number P-2416. Instructions to file a comment can be found here: https://www.ferc.gov/how-file-ecomment. Alternatively, comments can be emailed to wareshoalshydro@patriothydro.com and will be included in the correspondence sections of Aquenergy’s filings for the Draft and Final Surrender Applications.