Energy Department Report Finds Major Potential to Increase Clean Hydroelectric Power

U.S. Department of Energy, April 17, 2012

The U.S. Department of Energy has released a renewable energy resource assessment detailing the potential to develop electric power generation at existing dams across the United States that aren't currently equipped to produce power. The report estimates that without building a single new dam, these available hydropower resources, if fully developed, could provide an electrical generating capacity of more than 12 gigawatts, equivalent to roughly 15% of current U.S. hydropower capacity. The report, "An Assessment of Energy Potential at Non-Powered Dams in the United States," analyzes more than 54,000 specific sites that could be developed to generate power. The results indicate that, if fully developed, the nation's non-powered dams could provide enough energy to power over four million households. The greatest hydropower resource potential was found at lock and dam facilities on the Ohio, Mississippi, Alabama, and Arkansas Rivers—facilities owned by the United States Army Corps of Engineerss. The top ten sites alone have the potential to provide approximately 3 GW of generating capacity, while the top 100 sites together could potentially provide 8 GW of clean, reliable energy.

http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/news/progress_alerts.cfm/pa_id=713