Skagit River Hydroelectric Project

April 2026 | Relicensing News

Skagit Hydroelectric Project Comprehensive Relicensing Settlement:

A Shared Vision for the Next 50 Years

The Skagit River watershed is one of the most ecologically and culturally significant landscapes in the Pacific Northwest. For the Upper Skagit Indian Tribe, Sauk-Suiattle Indian Tribe, and Swinomish Indian Tribal Community, this river isn’t a resource to be managed, it’s a connection to thousands of years of stewardship.

Today (April 7), Seattle City Council approved a landmark Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Relicensing Settlement with Tribes, federal and state agencies, and other licensing parties to guide the future of the Skagit River Hydroelectric Project. This is a major step forward in securing a new operating license for one of the city of Seattle’s most important sources of renewable energy.

Collaboration and Partnership

The relicensing settlement is the result of years of collaboration with Tribes, resource agencies, local government, and community partners. It incorporates the latest available science, integrates tribal ecological knowledge, and reflects public priorities for river restoration and recreational use.

The settlement includes substantial commitments to:

Comprehensive fish passage and habitat programs, intended to increase salmon harvest and recovery
Continued prioritization of flood risk management, updating protocols to protect people, farmland, homes, and infrastructure
Tribal cultural access and protection of resources
Public recreation enhancements in one of the wildest, most biologically diverse places in North America including trails, river access and campsites
Education and interpretation centers to continue serving students, local communities, and utility ratepayers with hands-on outdoor education and cultural programming
Estuary and river restoration to support native fish species and improve water quality
Adaptive management frameworks grounded in ongoing scientific research and data sharing

Additional details about the settlement are available in the following fact sheets:

Members of the Upper Skagit Indian Tribe, Sauk-Suiattle Indian Tribe, and Swinomish Indian Tribal Community gathered together with Councilmembers Juarez and Rivera in council chambers.

photo credit: Amy Trainer

Next Steps

Reaching a settlement is a milestone, not the finish line.

Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson will sign the settlement agreement in the coming weeks, and Seattle City Light will file an amended license application with the FERC. After this, the FERC will begin its multi-year environmental review and public comment process.

While the FERC continues its regulatory review of the license application and settlement agreement, the City will begin early action items outlined in the settlement, including planning work for the major infrastructure and ecological investments Seattle City Light is committed to making.

We will continue to share information about relicensing and early actions in future issues of this newsletter. Please share this information with your networks and encourage your colleagues to subscribe!

Top Skagit Relicensing Resources

Want to learn more about relicensing? Check out these resources:

Learn how the Skagit River’s flow is managed to protect communities, provide access to renewable power, and deliver stable rates for customers.
Take a deeper look at City Light’s science-based fish passage program.
Monitor progress—find the latest quarterly update to FERC on our project page.
Review study reports—other relicensing material, including the Updated Study Report, can be accessed through the Skagit Relicensing Public Documents Library.