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Hydropower is among the most dependable sources of renewable generation, with many facilities operating decades or even more than a century after commissioning. That longevity demonstrates the durability of hydro assets, but age alone does not determine their future. Operators must decide where continued maintenance, targeted modernization or full replacement will deliver the greatest reliability and long-term value.

The right path depends on a range of factors, including equipment condition, supportability, operational risk, cybersecurity, workforce readiness, and long-term business objectives. By understanding the options available, hydropower operators can make informed decisions that maximize reliability and position assets for ongoing success.

 Path 1: Maintain Existing Assets

Not every aging asset requires modernization or replacement. Often, existing systems can continue performing reliably with a disciplined maintenance strategy and proactive risk management.

Hydropower facilities often operate generators, governors, excitation systems and control equipment far beyond their original design life. For operators seeking to maintain current performance levels while minimizing capital expenditures, the focus is typically on sustaining original equipment through preventive maintenance, spare parts management, aftermarket support and cybersecurity updates.

This approach can be effective when systems remain supportable, replacement parts are available and operational requirements have not significantly changed. By identifying high-risk components and proactively addressing them before failure occurs, operators can often extend equipment life while maintaining reliability and availability.

Maintaining existing assets also provides time to develop a longer-term strategy. Rather than reacting to unexpected failures, facilities can evaluate future requirements, assess risk and plan future investments based on operational data and asset condition.

Path 2: Strategic Modernization

For many facilities, the most effective path forward lies between maintaining the status quo and replacing an entire system.

A targeted modernization approach allows operators to address their most pressing challenges while preserving valuable existing investments. Rather than replacing everything at once, facilities can upgrade individual systems or components based on need, risk and budget. Examples may include:

• Digital governor upgrades
• Excitation system modernization
• Operator interface enhancements
• Machine health monitoring technologies
• Cybersecurity readiness
• Advanced diagnostics and analytics

This phased approach can help improve performance, increase visibility into asset condition and reduce maintenance complexity without the disruption associated with a full-scale modernization project.

A focused modernization strategy can also support workforce transitions. New digital tools can make systems easier to operate and maintain while helping newer employees access operational knowledge and historical performance data.

Emerging technologies are creating new opportunities in this area. For example, Emerson’s AI advisor can help accelerate operator training and onboarding while making it easier to capture and apply institutional knowledge developed over decades of plant operation. As experienced personnel retire, these capabilities can help facilities retain critical expertise and improve knowledge transfer to the next generation of operators.

Path 3: Modernize or Replace for the Future

In some situations, incremental improvements are no longer enough. Facilities may reach a point where legacy systems are no longer supportable, replacement parts are difficult to obtain, cybersecurity requirements exceed system capabilities or future operational objectives require entirely new functionality.

In these cases, a comprehensive modernization or replacement initiative can provide the foundation needed to support long-term operational goals. Projects may include:

• Complete control system replacement
• New digital governor platforms
• Modern excitation systems
• Expanded remote operations capabilities
• Fleet-wide standardization initiatives
• New monitoring and diagnostic technologies

Beyond addressing immediate reliability concerns, these projects can create a consistent platform for future technology enhancements.

A recent project involving Salt River Project  demonstrates the value of this approach. By standardizing excitation and plant controls across multiple hydroelectric facilities using Emerson’s Ovation™ platform, the utility achieved a 30% reduction in operations and maintenance costs, 50% faster troubleshooting and reliability performance in the 90^th percentile.

Salt River Project’s experience mirrors that of other large fleet-wide modernization initiatives. Utilities are replacing fragmented legacy architectures with standardized automation platforms that improve visibility and operational consistency across hydro assets that may have been built decades apart and, in doing so, creating a foundation for future growth and innovation.

Building a Long-Term Asset Roadmap

Regardless of which path a utility chooses, the most successful strategies begin with a long-term roadmap. Effective asset planning extends beyond the next maintenance cycle or capital project. It requires evaluating asset condition, operational risk, supportability and future business needs together to define a realistic path forward.

That roadmap should identify:

• Assets that can be maintained for the foreseeable future
• Systems that would benefit from phased modernization
• Equipment that requires replacement
• Outage and implementation priorities
• Long-term budget requirements

Regular assessment is equally important as technologies, cybersecurity requirements, workforce capabilities, regulations and operational expectations evolve. For facilities that complete a major control systems modernization, long-term programs such as Ovation™ Evergreen can help keep systems current through planned hardware and software updates, reducing the likelihood of another large-scale replacement effort in the future.

Choosing the Right Path Forward

There is no universal answer for aging hydropower assets. Some may achieve their objectives through continued maintenance and support. Others may benefit from targeted modernization projects, while some will require a more comprehensive replacement strategy.

The strongest decision should not be driven by the asset age alone. It should be driven by supportability, operational risk, future requirements and lifecycle economics. By understanding where each asset stands today and defining what the facility must support tomorrow, operators can direct capital where it will have the greatest impact. A clear, phased roadmap can reduce risk, protect reliability and keep critical generating assets delivering value for decades to come.

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