Of the 85 facilities Eagle Creek owns and operates, 84 are under the jurisdiction of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). Any hydroelectric power plant on navigable waters or public lands or affecting interstate commerce must be authorized by the FERC. The FERC authorizes projects either by issuing a license or, in the case of some smaller projects, by determining that the project is exempt from licensing but authorized to operate. The FERC has issued licenses to 67 of Eagle Creek's projects and has exempted 17 others from licensing.
FERC project licenses are issued for a term of 30 to 50 years. At the end of each term, the licensee must apply for a new license term. The application process generally starts 5-6 years in advance of the expiration. Eagle Creek currently has 22 facilities in various stages of the relicensing process and one additional for which it will be initiating a relicensing process in early 2021.