US Hydroelectric Infrastructure Is Getting $430M In Upgrades

Hydropower, the old-school method of renewable energy generation in the US, is getting a $430 million shot in the arm for funding hydroelectric infrastructure upgrades which aim to improve grid resilience, improve safety, and facilitate “environmental and recreational improvements” at hydro facilities across 33 states. This round of hydro facility upgrade funding is also said to protect some 6,000 existing jobs at those facilities, as well as with contractors and other companies in the supply chain.

The US Department of Energy (DOE) recently announced the selection of nearly 300 hydroelectric improvement projects across the country that will be the recipients of incentive payments for upgrades, and it’s about time — these projects, on average, have already been in operation for 79 years. The program, Maintaining and Enhancing Hydroelectricity Incentives, will be administered by the Grid Deployment Office as part of the Biden-Harris administration’s Investing in America agenda, and is funded through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

According to the DOE, the 293 projects that have been selected for incentive payments will have the following positive impacts:

Strengthen grid resilience at hydropower dams by: 

• • Replacing or upgrading turbines and generators
  • Upgrading control systems
  • Upgrading cables and transformers
  • Upgrading penstocks, which transport water to the turbines

Improve dam safety by upgrading aging dam infrastructure and strengthening existing infrastructure against extreme weather events. The average number of years selected facilities have been in operation is 79 years. Specific examples of projects include:

• • Upgrades to emergency spillways, which channel extra water during heavy rains
  • Concrete replacement to prevent water seepage through the dam
  • Water conveyance repairs to improve how the dam controls water movement
  • Upgrades to gates
  • Upgrades to prevent overtopping of dam walls
  • Erosion repair on the dam and surrounding areas

Facilitate environmental and recreational improvements to hydropower infrastructure that will improve water conditions and expand surrounding habitat and passage for fish and other species, and upgrade recreational facilities near dams. For example:

• • Fish passage projects will install fish ladders or other equipment to enable fish and other aquatic species to pass through the dam and/or the turbine. Some projects will also improve or expand the wildlife habitat surrounding the dam.
  • Water quality projects will deploy special turbines that reduce the loss of oxygen in water as it runs through the turbine to generate electricity. Water quality projects might also improve aquatic habitats downstream of the dam, as well as benefit species of conservation concern or cultural significance to Indian Tribes.
  • Recreation projects will establish or maintain recreational facilities and opportunities near the dam, which might include expanding water access for boating; improving access for other recreational activities, such as kayaking and white-water rafting; and enhancing walking trails.

For those interested, the full list of selected projects, which includes 84 grid resiliency projects, 149 dam safety projects, and 60 environmental improvement projects, is available here. The DOE says it “anticipates” that a second round of funding under this program will be announced in 2025. The DOE has additional incentives available that are also funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law — Hydroelectric Production Incentives and Hydroelectric Efficiency Improvement Incentives — which when combined with the above incentives, add up to a strong vote of this source of old-school renewable energy.