NHA Praises Secretary Chu's Vision for Hydropower

DOE Investment will spur development in key water power technologies

Washington, D.C. (June 30, 2009) – The following is a statement from National Hydropower Association Executive Director Linda Church Ciocci reacting to today's announcement that the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) will invest up to $32 million this year to expand the country's hydropower resources:

"The National Hydropower Association welcomes Secretary Chu's announcement today that DOE will invest $32 million in Recovery Act funding to increase efficiency and reduce environmental impact at existing non-federal hydropower facilities. This is a mark of the vision and insight the Secretary and other DOE officials are showing when it comes to building our national clean-energy mix.

"As the Secretary noted, by investing in hydropower projects, DOE is helping to create family-supporting jobs and build domestic resources that will power our economic recovery and support the continued flow of affordable, renewable energy to consumers across the country.

"We were particularly pleased to see Secretary Chu comment on hydropower's role in integrating variable energy resources, such as wind and solar, through the use of pumped storage. This technology is one of the few readily available, utility-scale energy storage options, and it will play a key role in providing the estimated 50 GW of storage and firming new variable resources will require.

"Through our own clean-energy generation and with hydro’s ability to advance the deployment of other renewable energy resources, the U.S. hydropower industry is committed to meeting the Obama administration's goal of doubling renewable energy. For many years, we've been hampered in our efforts to grow and serve consumers by a lack of federal support. But now, with Secretary Chu's statement announcing DOE's investment in hydropower, we can see a path that will lead us to additional clean, domestic hydropower resources.

"On behalf of the U.S. hydropower industry, I'd like to thank Secretary Chu for his vision and support. NHA looks forward to working with DOE to find opportunities for investments throughout the hydropower industry, including development at non-powered dams, small hydro, pumped storage technologies, and ocean, tidal, and instream hydrokinetic technologies. "

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