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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Californians and other residents of the western U.S. have endured heavy rainfall and, more unexpectedly, snowfall since the beginning of the year, but these unusual weather trends are proving a boon to California's hydropower market. The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) says record levels of precipitation in California and some parts of Oregon and Idaho in March partly negated the effects of extreme heat and dryness throughout the previous summer. However, some areas in the Pacific Northwest continue to suffer from the effects of below-normal precipitation and a weak water supply outlook. Industrial Info is tracking more than $71 billion worth of hydropower projects across the western continental U.S.
Click on the image at right for a graph detailing active and proposed hydropower projects across the western continental U.S., by state.
The EIA expects hydropower will provide 14% of California's power generation and 6% of generation in the U.S. Southwest, which covers parts of Nevada, Arizona and New Mexico in 2023; this represents an increase from 9% and 5%, respectively, in 2022. "Precipitation during this past winter has increased snowpack, raised reservoir levels [to at least historical averages], and almost completely removed drought conditions from these regions," the EIA said, citing the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Drought Monitor.
California benefited from snowpack across the Sierra Nevada, which reached record highs through April 1, according to the EIA. One of the major power generators in the area, the Moccasin Hydropower Station, is part of the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission's (SFPUC) Hetch Hetchy Project, which provides water and power to the City by the Bay. SFPUC is preparing for an upgrade to its Unit 1 generator later this year, which includes the possible replacement of the rotor.
The Moccasin Hydropower Station generates 100 megawatts (MW) from the Moccasin Dam, on the western edge of Yosemite National Park. Subscribers to Industrial Info's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) Power Project Database can learn more from a detailed project report and plant profile.
The EIA noted more precipitation in the Colorado River Basin--which covers the westernmost areas of Colorado and New Mexico, the eastern half of Utah and all of Arizona--also has improved water supply in the region. Altogether, the EIA expects 12% more hydropower generation in the U.S. Southwest this year, when compared with 2022.
In the Upper Colorado River Basin, which covers Colorado and Utah, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) is preparing to begin a penstock refurbishment for Unit 1 at the Green Mountain Hydropower Station in Silverthorne, Colorado. The USBR hopes to extend the service life and reliability of the system's generators, partly through improving conditions in the water passages and penstocks, which are the pipes and gate-like structures that control water flow to hydro turbines. Subscribers can learn more from a detailed project report and plant profile.
U.S. Hydropower 'Capitol' Not as Fortunate
Despite the expected growth in hydropower generation across California and the U.S. Southwest, the EIA expects the U.S. Northwest and Rocky Mountain regions--which accounted for more than half of all U.S. hydropower generation last year--will be lower this year when compared with 2022.
"The 2023 water year (October 1, 2022--September 30, 2023) followed a warm, dry summer in the Pacific Northwest," the EIA said. "Extreme heat waves across Washington, Oregon and Idaho left the region with dry soil and low runoff. The precipitation seen this past fall and winter was mostly below normal, especially in Washington and northern Idaho."
The region is home to one of the highest-valued hydropower projects in the western U.S.: Chelan County Public Utility District's motor control replacements at its Rock Island Hydro Power Station in Rock Island, Washington, on the Columbia River near the geographical center of the state. The county is replacing eight turbines, each 52 MW, to improve operations, reliability and efficiency. Each replacement is expected to take about a year, with the full project set to be completed in 2030. Subscribers can learn more from a detailed project report and plant profile.
Subscribers to Industrial Info's GMI Project Database can click here for a full list of detailed reports for projects mentioned in this article, and click here for a full list of related plant profiles.
Subscribers can click here for a full list of active and proposed hydropower projects across the western continental U.S.
Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing and energy related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) platform helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified and validated plant and project opportunities. Across the world, IIR is tracking more than 200,000 current and future projects worth $17.8 trillion (USD).
Click on the image at right for a graph detailing active and proposed hydropower projects across the western continental U.S., by state.The EIA expects hydropower will provide 14% of California's power generation and 6% of generation in the U.S. Southwest, which covers parts of Nevada, Arizona and New Mexico in 2023; this represents an increase from 9% and 5%, respectively, in 2022. "Precipitation during this past winter has increased snowpack, raised reservoir levels [to at least historical averages], and almost completely removed drought conditions from these regions," the EIA said, citing the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Drought Monitor.
California benefited from snowpack across the Sierra Nevada, which reached record highs through April 1, according to the EIA. One of the major power generators in the area, the Moccasin Hydropower Station, is part of the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission's (SFPUC) Hetch Hetchy Project, which provides water and power to the City by the Bay. SFPUC is preparing for an upgrade to its Unit 1 generator later this year, which includes the possible replacement of the rotor.
The Moccasin Hydropower Station generates 100 megawatts (MW) from the Moccasin Dam, on the western edge of Yosemite National Park. Subscribers to Industrial Info's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) Power Project Database can learn more from a detailed project report and plant profile.
The EIA noted more precipitation in the Colorado River Basin--which covers the westernmost areas of Colorado and New Mexico, the eastern half of Utah and all of Arizona--also has improved water supply in the region. Altogether, the EIA expects 12% more hydropower generation in the U.S. Southwest this year, when compared with 2022.
In the Upper Colorado River Basin, which covers Colorado and Utah, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) is preparing to begin a penstock refurbishment for Unit 1 at the Green Mountain Hydropower Station in Silverthorne, Colorado. The USBR hopes to extend the service life and reliability of the system's generators, partly through improving conditions in the water passages and penstocks, which are the pipes and gate-like structures that control water flow to hydro turbines. Subscribers can learn more from a detailed project report and plant profile.
U.S. Hydropower 'Capitol' Not as Fortunate
Despite the expected growth in hydropower generation across California and the U.S. Southwest, the EIA expects the U.S. Northwest and Rocky Mountain regions--which accounted for more than half of all U.S. hydropower generation last year--will be lower this year when compared with 2022.
"The 2023 water year (October 1, 2022--September 30, 2023) followed a warm, dry summer in the Pacific Northwest," the EIA said. "Extreme heat waves across Washington, Oregon and Idaho left the region with dry soil and low runoff. The precipitation seen this past fall and winter was mostly below normal, especially in Washington and northern Idaho."
The region is home to one of the highest-valued hydropower projects in the western U.S.: Chelan County Public Utility District's motor control replacements at its Rock Island Hydro Power Station in Rock Island, Washington, on the Columbia River near the geographical center of the state. The county is replacing eight turbines, each 52 MW, to improve operations, reliability and efficiency. Each replacement is expected to take about a year, with the full project set to be completed in 2030. Subscribers can learn more from a detailed project report and plant profile.
Subscribers to Industrial Info's GMI Project Database can click here for a full list of detailed reports for projects mentioned in this article, and click here for a full list of related plant profiles.
Subscribers can click here for a full list of active and proposed hydropower projects across the western continental U.S.
Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing and energy related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) platform helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified and validated plant and project opportunities. Across the world, IIR is tracking more than 200,000 current and future projects worth $17.8 trillion (USD).
