As part of the Investing in America agenda, the U.S. DOE recently announced the selection of 293 hydroelectric improvement projects. The projects will receive up to $430 million in incentive payments to upgrade hydropower facilities across 33 states. The Maintaining and Enhancing Hydroelectricity Incentives program will be administered by the Grid Deployment Office (GDO) and will enhance dam safety, improve grid resilience, and protect 6,000 existing jobs at hydropower facilities as well as contractors and vendors.
“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,” U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm.
Hydropower currently accounts for nearly 27% of renewable electricity generation in the United States, as well as 93% of all utility-scale energy storage. However, the fleet is aging, with many facilities in need of repair and upgrades.
Read more about the projects here: Biden-Harris Administration Invests $430 Million to Upgrade America’s Hydropower Infrastructure | Department of Energy