Case Study on the Development of a Hydro License Compliance Monitoring System

As the holder of 29 Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) licenses, Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PGandE) has an obvious need to monitor and document compliance with the numerous requirements contained within each license. Our initial project to computerize an existing monitoring system evolved into a more in-depth study of all compliance issues surrounding PGandE's extensive hydroelectric system. As the scope of the study expanded, various conflicts within the Company emerged. While some of the issues we encountered may be indigenous to large corporations, the process used and conclusions reached appear applicable to most licensees regardless of size. The paper surveys these issues.