Hydroelectric

$30.6 million Recovery Act investment by the Department of Energy highlights the additional potential of hydro power

November 4, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu today announced up to $30.6 million in Recovery Act funding for the selection of seven hydropower projects that modernize hydropower infrastructure by increasing efficiency and reducing environmental impacts at existing facilities. The expanded hydro generation projects have estimated incremental costs of less than 4 cents per kWh on average.    » read more »

Improvements to 100-year-old Facility Also Will Reduce Environmental Hazards

November 4, 2009 -- Mark Udall and Michael Bennet, U.S. Senators for Colorado, today announced the 100-year-old Boulder Canyon Hydroelectric Project will get up to $1.18 million to replace two old turbines for higher efficiency and output.

The funds, provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, are part of $30.6 million in funding announced by the U.S. Department of Energy to modernize hydropower infrastructure by increasing efficiency at existing facilities and reducing their environmental impact.    » read more »

November 3, 2009 -- Approval by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission of a request by PPL Holtwood, LLC, is a significant milestone in the plan to increase generation of clean, renewable energy and improve migratory fish passage, the company said Tuesday (11/3).

“Expanding the Holtwood plant is part of PPL’s commitment to make sound financial investments while increasing the proportion of non-fossil-fuel resources in our strong generation portfolio,” said Victor N. Lopiano, PPL’s senior vice president-Fossil and Hydro Generation. “We appreciate FERC’s timely action on our application.”

About 40 percent of the electricity PPL generates annually comes from nuclear, hydroelectric and renewable sources that do not emit carbon dioxide to the atmosphere, he said.    » read more »

PPL Montana welcomed federal, state and local officials on Thursday (10/15) to celebrate the start of the $230 million project to expand the Rainbow hydroelectric plant for a second century of producing clean, renewable energy.

“PPL Montana is recommitting itself to the tradition of renewable energy development that has been part of Montana’s history and the Great Falls area for more than 100 years,” said Pete Simonich, vice president and chief operating officer of PPL Montana.    » read more »

Could Create Thousands of Jobs

Oct. 13, 2009 -- York – Pointing to the findings of a national report issued today, Pennsylvania Governor Edward G. Rendell said hydropower holds tremendous potential for generating clean energy and creating jobs for Pennsylvania and the nation.

“America has only just begun to understand the potential of hydropower,” said Governor Rendell as he visited Voith Hydro, an innovative manufacturing facility that produces cost-effective hydroelectric generators and turbines used to make electricity in hydropower dams. “While newer forms of alternative renewable energy have attracted much attention lately, hydropower has been around for decades and continues to grow as a reliable source of green energy.”    » read more »

September 15, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu today announced that 22 advanced water power projects will receive up to $14.6 million in funding to advance the commercial viability, market acceptance, and environmental performance for new marine and hydrokinetic technologies as well as conventional hydropower plants.

The projects selected today will further the nation’s supply of domestic clean hydroelectricity through technological innovation to capitalize on new sources of energy, and will advance markets and research to maximize the nation’s largest renewable energy source.    » read more »

July 1, 2009 -- PPL Corporation (NYSE: PPL) announced Wednesday (7/1) that its PPL Maine subsidiary has signed a definitive agreement to sell the majority of PPL Maine’s hydroelectric generation business to Black Bear Hydro Partners, LLC, an affiliate of ArcLight Capital Partners, LLC, for a total of approximately $95 million, subject to the receipt of various state and federal regulatory approvals and consents.

The total purchase price includes certain contingent consideration that would be realized upon completion of PPL’s previously announced sale, which is currently pending the receipt of certain state and federal regulatory approvals, of three other hydroelectric facilities to the Penobscot River Restoration Trust.    » read more »

June 30, 2009 -- Washington, DC – U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu today announced up to $32 million in Recovery Act funding to modernize the existing hydropower infrastructure in the U.S., increase efficiency and reduce environmental impact. Today’s announcement is designed to support the deployment of turbines and control technologies to increase power generation and environmental stewardship at existing non-Federal hydroelectric facilities.    » read more »

COLUMBUS, Ohio, June 1, 2009 – American Electric Power (NYSE: AEP) today issued a request for proposals (RFP) seeking long-term purchases of up to 1,100 megawatts (MW) of renewable energy resources.

Proposals must include commercially proven renewable energy technologies such as wind, certified low-impact hydro, commercial-scale solar, geothermal, biologically derived methane gas and certain biomass and biofuels energy projects. The generation must be interconnected to PJM Interconnection (PJM) or Southwest Power Pool (SPP) and be operational no later than Dec. 31, 2011.

Pre-bid webinars for potential bidders will be conducted June 16 for bidders in PJM and June 18 for bidders in SPP. RFP information can be found at http://www.AEP.com/go/rfp.    » read more »

March 26, 2009 -- (BOISE) – Governor C.L. “Butch” Otter, Attorney General Lawrence Wasden, and IDACORP and Idaho Power President and Chief Executive Officer LaMont Keen announced today that the 1984 Swan Falls water agreement was reaffirmed this week in a proposed legal settlement between the State of Idaho and Idaho Power Co.    » read more »

March 17, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC – In a joint statement issued today Secretary of the Interior (DOI), Ken Salazar and Acting Chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Jon Wellinghoff announced that the two agencies have confirmed their intent to work together to facilitate the permitting of renewable energy in offshore waters.

“Our renewable energy is too important for bureaucratic turf battles to slow down our progress. I am proud that we have reached an agreement with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission regarding our respective roles in approving offshore renewable energy projects. This agreement will help sweep aside red tape so that our country can capture the great power of wave, tidal, wind and solar power off our coasts,” Secretary Salazar said.    » read more »

CHEYENNE, Wyo. - An advisor to Wyoming Governor Dave Freudenthal testified in Washington yesterday, urging Congress to invest in electricity transmission infrastructure and to work toward modernizing the existing grid to help Western states deliver their significant renewable energy resources to market.

Steve Ellenbecker, Director of Governmental & External Relations for the Wyoming Infrastructure Authority and an energy policy advisor to the Governor, testified before the U.S. House Subcommittee on Water and Power/Committee on Natural Resources.    » read more »

May 07, 2008 -- Montpelier, Vermont – The State of Vermont announced today that the Department of Public Service (DPS) will award $2.28 million from the Clean Energy Development Fund (CEDF) for projects throughout the state. The goal of the CEDF is to increase the development and deployment of combined heat and power (CHP) technologies and renewable energy generation.

A hydroelectric facility in Winooski, Vermont: Photo by Peter Wadsworth (CC)    » read more »

Assess Damage & Plan to Recover Hydro

April 22, 2008, Anchorage, Alaska – Alaska Governor Sarah Palin today announced multiple state agencies are working closely with Alaska Electric Light & Power (AEL&P) to assess the damage and develop a plan to recover hydropower in Juneau.

Representatives from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Small Business Administration are traveling to Juneau to analyze the situation. Members of the governor’s disaster policy cabinet will meet on Wednesday to discuss declaring a state disaster.    » read more »

Will Create 173 New Jobs

October 31, 2007 -- New York Governor Eliot Spitzer today announced the allocation of low-cost hydropower that will help create 173 new jobs and $18.5 million in capital investments by four companies in Niagara and Erie Counties    » read more »