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Released July 08, 2021 | SUGAR LAND
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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Falling water supplies are putting a significant clamp on hydroelectric power generation in the drought-wracked U.S. West, particularly in California. The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) forecasts hydroelectric generation in the Golden State this year will be 19% less than last year.
Hydroelectric generation in California will drop to 13.6 million megawatt-hours (MWh) in 2021 from 16.8 million MWh in 2020, according to the EIA's Short-Term Energy Outlook. Last year, hydroelectricity used by the state amounted to 11.22% of its in-state generation portfolio, according to the California Energy Commission.
Industrial Info is tracking nearly $7 billion worth of active hydropower projects in California, including nearly $4 billion worth that have a medium (70-80%) or high (81-99%) probability of going forward as planned. Subscribers to Industrial Info's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) Power Project Database can click here for a list of detailed reports.
As of June 22, all of California was experiencing some degree of drought, with exceptional drought conditions in 33% of the state, the EIA noted in its Wednesday Today in Energy report.
California's snowpack, which provides the state with water as it melts during the spring and summer, was well below normal this year and most of it melted quickly because of higher temperatures. As a result, snowpack meltwater often didn't reach reservoirs, leaving them at low levels.
At the Lake Oroville reservoir in Northern California, low water levels likely will force the Edward Hyatt Power Station to shut down in the next two to three months, for the first time since it opened in 1967. With an installed capacity of 644 megawatts (MW), the plant is the fourth-largest hydroelectric facility in the state, capable of powering up to 800,000 homes, according to CNN. For more information, see Industrial Info's plant profile.
In neighboring Nevada, low water levels at Lake Mead, the location of Hoover Dam, have become a source of concern. The iconic dam has a nameplate generation capacity of more than 2 gigawatts (GW) and more than half of its output serves California. Reservoir levels at the dam have sunk to record lows, causing the facility to generate at only 66% efficiency, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation told Las KLAS-TV (Las Vegas, Nevada) this week. For more information, see Industrial Info's plant profile.
In May, the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) (Atlanta, Georgia) said California was at high risk of energy emergencies this summer, largely because of its high reliance on energy imports and solar generation. For more information, see June 16, 2021, article - A Long, Hot Summer Spells Power Trouble in California and Texas.
For related information, see June 24, 2021, article - Pre-Summer Heatwave Strains Power System in Some States, but No Major Outages, and April 9, 2021, article - Dryer Conditions in Parts of Pacific Northwest Dampen Hydroelectricity Outlook.
Industrial Info Resources (IIR), with global headquarters in Sugar Land, Texas, six offices in North America and 12 international offices, is the leading provider of global market intelligence specializing in the industrial process, heavy manufacturing and energy markets. Industrial Info's quality-assurance philosophy, the Living Forward Reporting Principle, provides up-to-the-minute intelligence on what's happening now, while constantly keeping track of future opportunities. Follow IIR on: Facebook - Twitter - LinkedIn.
Hydroelectric generation in California will drop to 13.6 million megawatt-hours (MWh) in 2021 from 16.8 million MWh in 2020, according to the EIA's Short-Term Energy Outlook. Last year, hydroelectricity used by the state amounted to 11.22% of its in-state generation portfolio, according to the California Energy Commission.
Industrial Info is tracking nearly $7 billion worth of active hydropower projects in California, including nearly $4 billion worth that have a medium (70-80%) or high (81-99%) probability of going forward as planned. Subscribers to Industrial Info's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) Power Project Database can click here for a list of detailed reports.
As of June 22, all of California was experiencing some degree of drought, with exceptional drought conditions in 33% of the state, the EIA noted in its Wednesday Today in Energy report.
California's snowpack, which provides the state with water as it melts during the spring and summer, was well below normal this year and most of it melted quickly because of higher temperatures. As a result, snowpack meltwater often didn't reach reservoirs, leaving them at low levels.
At the Lake Oroville reservoir in Northern California, low water levels likely will force the Edward Hyatt Power Station to shut down in the next two to three months, for the first time since it opened in 1967. With an installed capacity of 644 megawatts (MW), the plant is the fourth-largest hydroelectric facility in the state, capable of powering up to 800,000 homes, according to CNN. For more information, see Industrial Info's plant profile.
In neighboring Nevada, low water levels at Lake Mead, the location of Hoover Dam, have become a source of concern. The iconic dam has a nameplate generation capacity of more than 2 gigawatts (GW) and more than half of its output serves California. Reservoir levels at the dam have sunk to record lows, causing the facility to generate at only 66% efficiency, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation told Las KLAS-TV (Las Vegas, Nevada) this week. For more information, see Industrial Info's plant profile.
In May, the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) (Atlanta, Georgia) said California was at high risk of energy emergencies this summer, largely because of its high reliance on energy imports and solar generation. For more information, see June 16, 2021, article - A Long, Hot Summer Spells Power Trouble in California and Texas.
For related information, see June 24, 2021, article - Pre-Summer Heatwave Strains Power System in Some States, but No Major Outages, and April 9, 2021, article - Dryer Conditions in Parts of Pacific Northwest Dampen Hydroelectricity Outlook.
Industrial Info Resources (IIR), with global headquarters in Sugar Land, Texas, six offices in North America and 12 international offices, is the leading provider of global market intelligence specializing in the industrial process, heavy manufacturing and energy markets. Industrial Info's quality-assurance philosophy, the Living Forward Reporting Principle, provides up-to-the-minute intelligence on what's happening now, while constantly keeping track of future opportunities. Follow IIR on: Facebook - Twitter - LinkedIn.
