House Bill Seeks to Unleash Hydropower Through Innovation and Licensing Reform
WASHINGTON — Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., is seeking to promote innovation and advance the next generation of hydroelectric technology.
“Eastern Washington is the perfect example of what’s possible when we unleash the potential of hydropower in America,” she said in introducing the Hydropower Clean Energy Future Act on Monday.
“It’s strengthened our energy grid, lowered energy costs for families and businesses, and transformed our entire region — all while reducing carbon emissions,” she said.
“This is a model worth expanding, and it starts with reforming the licensing process and promoting the innovation needed to usher in the next generation of hydro technology,” McMorris Rodgers continued, adding, “This legislation will help preserve our existing hydropower fleet and bring more power online as demand grows into the future.”
Specifically, the bill would reform the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission licensing process to protect existing hydropower resources and encourage the development of small and next-generation projects by:
- Affirming a two-year licensing process for next-generation hydropower resources.
- Exempting small hydropower projects that do not have significant environmental impacts.
- Exempting closed-loop pumped storage projects that do not utilize federal land or impound navigable waters.
- Promoting innovation in turbine design and generating technology to improve performance and efficiency while protecting environmental resources and fish.
The bill would also remove barriers to rapidly expand hydropower development by identifying electricity market rules and ownership models that encourage development of conventional, pumped storage, conduit and emerging hydropower technologies.
And it would extend the time by which a project must commence construction after receiving its license.
Kurt Miller, executive director of the Northwest River Partners, is among those who has already endorsed McMorris Rodgers’ bill.
“Hydroelectric power is a reliable, affordable and clean form of energy that supports Pacific Northwest families and businesses,” Miller said. “As a resource that can be deployed at a moment’s notice, hydropower helps prevent blackouts during extreme weather events and supports reliability across the Western United States when there are peaks in demand.”
Malcolm Woolf, CEO and president of the National Hydropower Association, is also on board, stating the bill recognizes “the crucial role of hydropower in establishing a resilient, clean electricity grid by improving the needlessly burdensome FERC hydropower licensing process.”
“By improved decision-making and coordination among all stakeholders, this legislation addresses the excessive time, cost and uncertainty associated with the current process. With almost half of the non-federal fleet up for relicensing, this bill will protect and expand valuable hydropower assets in an environmentally responsible manner,” Woolf said.
Dan can be reached at [email protected] and @DanMcCue
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