Dam Safety

DOE invests $430 million for U.S. hydropower safety and upgrades

The funding is meant to enhance dam safety, improve grid resilience at 215 facilities, and protect 6,000 existing jobs at hydropower facilities as well as contractors and vendors, DOE said. 
DOE invests $430 million for U.S. hydropower safety and upgrades
(photo courtesy U.S. Army Corps of Engineers)

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced the selection of 293 hydroelectric improvement projects across 33 states that will receive up to $430 million in incentive payments to upgrade hydropower facilities – and the facilities involved have been in operation for an average of 79 years.

Administered by the Grid Deployment Office (GDO) and funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the Maintaining and Enhancing Hydroelectricity Incentives program aims to enhance dam safety, improve grid resilience at 215 facilities, and protect 6,000 existing jobs at hydropower facilities as well as contractors and vendors, DOE said. 

“As our earliest form of renewable energy generation, hydropower has reliably kept America running for almost 150 years — and the Biden-Harris Administration is ensuring these long-standing facilities can continue the steady flow of clean power,” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm. “Today’s funding will expand and modernize our hydropower fleet, while protecting thousands of American jobs.” 

Hydropower currently accounts for nearly 27% of renewable electricity generation in the U.S., as well as 93% of all utility-scale energy storage. However, the fleet is aging, with many facilities in need of repair and upgrades.  

The Investing in America agenda supports improvements related to three main areas of hydropower: improving grid resilience, improving dam safety, and enabling environmental and recreational improvements to facilities. Within DOE’s portfolio and funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the Maintaining and Enhancing Hydroelectricity Incentives program is complemented by two additional hydroelectric incentives: the Hydroelectric Production Incentives, providing incentive payments to qualified hydroelectric facilities for electricity generated and sold and the Hydroelectric Efficiency Improvement Incentives, providing payments to increase power generation from the nation’s existing hydropower fleet. 

Grid resilience at hydropower dams

In an attempt to improve grid resilience at hydropower dams, the announced projects will:

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

Dam safety

The projects will also aim to 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 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 

Environmental and recreational improvements

The projects will facilitate environmental and recreational improvements to hydropower infrastructure that area meant to improve water conditions and expand surrounding habitat and passage for fish and other species, and upgrade recreational facilities near dams. Examples include:  

  • 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 aim to improve or expand the wildlife habitat surrounding the dam.   
  • Water quality projects will deploy 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, DOE said.
  • Recreation projects will establish or maintain recreational facilities and opportunities near the dam, which could include expanding water access for boating; improving access for other recreational activities, such as kayaking and white-water rafting; and enhancing walking trails.  

The full list of selections can be found here. DOE anticipates releasing a second round for Maintaining and Enhancing Hydroelectric Incentives next calendar year.