On April 21, 2026, Congress passed S. 1020, the Build More Hydro bill, marking a major victory for the U.S. hydropower industry and a significant success for the National Hydropower Association (NHA). The bill, which cleared the Senate in July 2025 and passed the House with an overwhelmingly bipartisan 394–14 vote, was signed by President Trump on May 11, 2026.

NHA member organizations played a central role in advancing the Build More Hydro bill, coordinating sustained congressional outreach, stakeholder advocacy, and media engagement. Just last month, NHA flooded the Hill with water power advocates, as part of Advocacy Day during Water Power Week. Participants made direct contact with lawmakers to advocate industry priorities and connected with 188 congressional offices, including nine meetings with Senators.

As the nation faces historic energy demand, bills like Build More Hydro, which extends construction timelines – imposed by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) – for around three dozen proposed hydropower projects, enables hydropower’s reliability and baseload benefits while safeguarding 2.6 GW of electricity and $6.5 billion in private investments.

A barge travels down the Ohio River, the site of four projects preserved by Build More Hydro. (Photo Credit – Janet Butler, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service / Wikimedia)

WHAT DOES THE BILL DO?

The Build More Hydro bill provides a targeted update to federal hydropower licensing law by allowing FERC to grant up to six additional years for certain already‑licensed hydropower projects to begin construction. The bill applies only to projects that completed full federal environmental review and received a license prior to March 2020.

Without Congressional action, dozens of fully reviewed, shovel‑ready hydropower projects were at risk of cancellation because unprecedented delays made existing timelines unworkable; Build More Hydro accomplishes the following:

• Keeps more than 37 licensed hydropower projects alive
• Unlocks up to 2.6 GW of clean, baseload power
• Protects billions in private investment
• Strengthens grid reliability, energy security, and affordability

The passage of the Build More Hydro bill, a bipartisan effort led by Representative Newhouse (R-WA), Senator Steve Daines (R-MT), and Senator Fetterman (D-PA), brought significant media attention, from which the hydropower industry can draw momentum as we move forward with permitting priorities.

The Build More Hydro Act is among the very few examples of stand-alone energy legislation to pass Congress this year — notable in a session that has produced just over 60 bills total.

Hydropower advocates pose with Representative Newhouse (R-WA) during NHA’s Water Power Week’s Advocacy Day. (Photo Credit – NHA)

WHAT’S NEXT?

NHA will continue working with the Administration and FERC to ensure swift enactment and implementation of Build More Hydro, ensuring that licensed projects can move into construction and deliver reliable, dispatchable hydropower nationwide.

Check out this video of NHA’s President and CEO, Malcolm Woolf, discussing the importance of the Build More Hydro bill.