Back to AllNHA’s Water Power Week in Washington D.C. is right around the corner (March 9 – 13), and as the date draws closer, NHA is excited to announce the addition of a new keynote speaker: Michael Helmer, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Energy Innovation (CMEI)!
Mr. Helmer’s presence at Water Power Week (WPW) underscores greater representation of DOE across Water Power Week. With sessions at Water Power Week covering everything from DOE’s recent realignment to updates on the 240’s and safe harbor tables, attendees will have the opportunity to connect with agency representatives to answer questions while learning more about critical issues and programs.
MEET THE SPEAKER: MICHAEL HELMER
Michael Helmer brings nearly a decade of Capitol Hill experience to his role as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation (CMEI). Most recently, Helmer served as legislative assistant to Senator Kevin Cramer of North Dakota, where he advised the Senator on energy, environmental, and trade issues. His congressional tenure also includes roles as a legislative director and professional committee staffer on the House Committee on Rules.
Helmer previously served at the U.S. Department of Energy from 2019 to 2021 in the Office of Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs. In his current capacity, he is responsible for providing executive leadership to advance CMEI’s strategic objectives, streamline internal operations, and ensure alignment with the administration’s policy goals and priorities.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR LEARNING AND CONNECTION
Attendees at Water Power Week are able to tap into numerous sessions that offer direct lines of communication with key staff across DOE, and the following session highlights are just some of the ways attendees can tap into the value of their WPW registration:
Agency ‘Lightning’ Briefings and Informal Meet and Greets:
This interactive session gives attendees direct access to representatives from key federal agencies shaping hydropower, pumped storage, and marine energy policy. Through rapid-fire agency briefings and informal meet-and-greet conversations with officials from DOE, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, participants will gain updates on energy priorities and engage in candid dialogue about licensing, environmental review, research, and opportunities to improve coordination and clarity.
Emerging AI tools built on regulatory text, environmental data, and structured workflows could streamline complex electricity permitting and licensing by reducing drafting time, improving consistency, and easing administrative burden. A DOE-convened workshop will bring together hydropower practitioners and national lab experts to shape these tools around real-world licensing challenges, featuring a live demo of NHA’s new AI-driven permitting tool currently in beta testing.
The U.S. Department of Energy Realignment – What You Need to Know:
This session offers a high-level overview of recent organizational changes at DOE under the Trump Administration and provides practical guidance for navigating the agency’s updated structure. Attendees will receive timely insights on funding opportunities, evolving priorities within DOE’s Hydropower and Marine Energy Programs, and how project owners, developers, and researchers can stay strategically positioned amid ongoing changes.
U.S. Department of Energy Hydropower Test Facility Workshop
Join representatives from DOE’s Hydropower and Hydrokinetic Office to discuss the recommendations in the report and to provide feedback on how industry needs have evolved to inform the future of hydropower testing.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
To learn more about Water Power Week, click HERE.
To learn more about the other speakers at Water Power Week, click HERE.
