National Hydropower Association

Today is the last day to submit applications for NHA's Outstanding Stewards of America's Waters Awards! The OSAW Awards honor deserving water power organizations, highlighting projects that exhibit exemplary operational, educational, historical, recreational, or environmental enhancement and stewardship. If your organization is interested in being considered for the OSAW Awards, which cover three categories, then follow the link to learn more: https://bit.ly/445f70J.

#InfrastructureWeek has begun! With $454 billion in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) funding going to over 56,000 projects and awards, the water power community celebrates the impact of this critical legislation while recognizing the many additional ways water power can help secure the United States' clean energy future. - As the nation looks to address aging water infrastructure, conduit #hydropower represents an enormous resource: https://bit.ly/47BoUMJ - With extreme weather events increasing, hydropower's reliability in the face of obstacles is proven, demonstrating just one of the ways this critical clean energy source is helping keep the lights on: https://bit.ly/3UxiVVv - The U.S. possesses an abundance of marine energy potential, and the development of testing sites, innovative technologies, and California's 2023 legislation to explore the state's marine energy resources, represent the exciting progress of this important renewable. https://bit.ly/3R7OBPx To learn more about how water is powering the U.S., check out NHA's POWERHOUSE: https://lnkd.in/entScDd U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)

Last month, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service introduced three important changes to the Endangered Species Act (ESA), which were published in the Federal Register. These new rules, effective from May 6, include modifications to how agencies collaborate under the ESA, changes to the procedures for listing species and designating critical habitats, and the reinstatement of the "blanket rule." This update is crucial for the ongoing efforts to protect endangered species. Read more 👇 https://lnkd.in/gryg9XFi #EndangeredSpeciesAct #EnvironmentalProtection #WildlifeConservation

Next Wednesday (May 15th) is the deadline for NHA's Outstanding Stewards of America's Waters Awards (OSAW)! The OSAW Awards honor deserving water power organizations, highlighting projects that exhibit exemplary operational, educational, historical, recreational, or environmental enhancement and stewardship. If your organization is interested in being considered for the OSAW Awards, which cover three categories, then follow the link to learn more: https://bit.ly/445f70J.

Today, NHA was pleased to host a visiting delegation from the Republic of Georgia representing and promoting the nation’s #waterpower industry. This small nation in the Caucasus region gets a very large share of its energy from hydro. And through the U.S. Department of State’s International Visitor Leadership Program, this group is helping to bolster and grow that industry by making valuable connections here in the U.S. NHA appreciated the great discussion, and we’ll continue sharing the great things happening in US hydro with our broader global community.

𝗠𝗮𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝟰𝘁𝗵 𝗕𝗲 𝗪𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗬𝗼𝘂, 𝗛𝘆𝗱𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗼𝗲𝘀!💧 Today, we celebrate the force of nature that powers our world – water! Just as the Jedi use the Force for good, we harness the mighty power of rivers and streams to light up galaxies of homes and businesses, sustaining planets with clean, renewable energy. Today, we salute the engineers, scientists, and all the guardians of our waterways who are committed to advancing hydropower technology. Your dedication ensures that this sustainable energy continues to flow, much like the timeless energy of the Force. 𝗥𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘄𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗴𝘆! #MayThe4thBeWithYou #Hydropower #RenewableEnergy #SustainableFuture

Really proud of these University of Wisconsin-Platteville civil, environmental, and mechanical engineering students as they competed in the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)’s second annual Hydropower Collegiate Competition this past week. 🌊 This year’s challenge was to select an existing non-powered dam and develop a facility conceptual design to add hydroelectric generation. These students really rose to each challenge that come their way throughout this competition. They learned about a new industry, developed professional connections, and thoughtfully engaged and educated K-12 students in their local community about the important role of hydropower in a clean energy future. On behalf of UW-Platteville’s team, Pioneering Potential, a huge thank you to the Department of Energy, Hydropower Foundation, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, National Hydropower Association, MIDWEST HYDRO USERS GROUP INC, and all of the individual hydro industry professionals that took the time to develop this exciting career development opportunity! Field trip photos are from the Red Rock Hydroelectric Project in Pella, IA - a new hydroelectric facility built at a previously non-powered dam that now powers over 18,000 homes ⚡️💧 The intrepid student team: Logan Krause , Anika Zins Evelyn Barta , Diyatha Premaratne, Samuel Goodnetter , and Kurtis Clark Co-advisor extraordinaire Austin Polebitski

Happy Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month! Throughout May, NHA will be celebrating and honoring the legacies of #AANHPI communities.    Water power draws its strength from those who have dedicated their time and ability to ensuring access to clean, renewable energy; NHA is deeply appreciative of #AANHPI contributions to water power.

NHA and MHUG's Midwest Regional Meeting in Des Moines, Iowa, has wrapped! Spanning three days, attendees had the opportunity to take part in a wealth of sessions and workshops covering everything from dam safety to utilizing Federal funds for water power development. Federal agencies, national labs, and the water power industry's top-minds provided both insight and connection for attendees. Thanks to event host Missouri River Energy Services, attendees were able to tour Red Rock Hydroelectric Facility on the Des Moines River. While there, attendees had the opportunity to learn first-hand from the team operating the facility, diving deeper into the project's history. The meeting also played host to the finale of the 2024 Hydropower Collegiate Competition (HCC). With support from U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Hydropower Foundation, and National Renewable Energy Laboratory, the student participants were able to connect with industry members while advancing potential solutions to challenges facing hydro. NHA congratulates all participants of the HCC, and thanks them for dedicating their time to the advancement of water power. Competitions like the HCC are critical, as they provide the next generation of workers with greater connection to a vital industry. Help secure the future of water power, and share these resources with your alma mater, alerting them to the May 6, 2024, deadline for the 2025 Hydropower Collegiate Competition (https://bit.ly/4bbC3O9). Thank you to host sponsor Missouri River Energy Services, MHUG, our supporters, speakers, moderators, attendees, and NHA staff for making the event such a success.

Our grid is vulnerable. Climate change, hurricanes, and wildfires can cost communities precious power, money, and lives. Luckily, heroic #hydropower can help protect the grid from these growing threats—and so can NREL researchers. 🦸♀️ 🦸♂️⚡ Check out our new video to see how NREL experts are working to protect our grid hero, so it can protect us from extreme weather, climate change, and more: https://bit.ly/3U4JFeo