Duke Energy has secured a 30-year operating license from the US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) for Keowee-Toxaway Hydroelectric project.

The license will be effective from 1 September and will enable Duke Energy to continue operating the Jocassee Pumped Storage Hydro Station, Keowee Hydro Station, and associated lakes.

Duke Energy's vice-president of water strategy, hydro licensing, and lake services Steve Jester said: “The project provides clean, renewable hydroelectric power generation, supports regional public drinking water needs, and provides high-quality recreational opportunities for the region.

“This license ensures the availability of these resources for future generations.

"The project provides clean, renewable hydroelectric power generation and supports regional public drinking water needs."

“Receiving the license allows us to implement operational, environmental, and recreational resource enhancements, which will result in many benefits to the community and the environment for decades to come.”

The Keowee-Toxaway Hydroelectric Project starts at Lake Jocassee in North Carolina and South Carolina, and flows into Lake Keowee and the Army Corps of Engineers' Lake Hartwell project.

This project comprises two reservoirs with two powerhouses and is spread across nearly 25 river miles, encompassing approximately 480 miles of shoreline. It has the capacity to generate 868 megawatts (MW) of hydropower and cooling water for Oconee Nuclear Station, which has the capacity to generate approximately 2,500MW of energy.

This project was initally licensed in 1966 for five decades and Duke Energy filed the application to relicense in 2014.