- Powerhouse Article
| Project OperationsFERC Finalizes Updates to Dam Safety Regulations
On Thursday, December 16, 2021, the commissioners of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) voted to make the largest…
- Powerhouse Article | Regulatory Insights
Court Decision to Vacate, Remand State Water Quality 401 Certification Rule Leads to Disruption
Recent EPA action is resulting in permitting uncertainties for project proponents that require water quality certifications.
- Powerhouse Article | Regulatory Insights
Side by Side: New Hydropower Licensing Report and EPA’s 2020 401 Certification Rule
Data in a new DOE-funded Hydropower Licensing Report can be a useful tool for the Environmental Protection Agency as…
- Powerhouse Article | Regulatory Insights
Lessons Learned from EPA’s Regulation of Cooling Water Intake Structures for the Lower Columbia and Snake River Dams
This article discusses CWIS on the Lower Columbia and Snake River Dams and the recent EPA action which threads…
- Powerhouse Article | Project Operations
Request to Asset Owners: Participate in Industry Trends Survey
If you work for a hydro project owner/operator, we request your help. The Hydropower Foundation and the Ontario Waterpower…
- Powerhouse Article | Policy Drivers
Biden’s Quest for Funding for Environmental Justice: What Could It Mean for Hydro?
Hydropower facilities with an opportunity to invest in disadvantaged communities or improve Environmental Justice issues could secure additional financing.
- Powerhouse Article | Regulatory Insights
Confusion Continues on How to Interpret Clean Water Certification Regulations
Section 401 of the CWA requires that states are provided a time-limited opportunity to issue or deny water quality…
- Powerhouse Article | Regulatory Insights
California’s Proposed Enforcement Program for Non-Compliant Dam Owners Is Evidence of State, Federal Focus on Infrastructure, Public Safety
Dam safety is increasingly finding itself within the lens of the federal and state governments. The latest focus is…
- Powerhouse Article | Regulatory Insights
Advisor or Authority? Role of Council on Environmental Quality in NEPA Regulations
What is the basis for CEQ’s authority to promulgate NEPA regulations? Asking the question is important because the CEQ…
- Powerhouse Article | Regulatory Insights
FERC’s New Focus on Public Participation Is Nothing New for Waterpower
FERC now finds itself increasingly in the spotlight as the U.S. shifts toward renewables and realizes that FERC holds…
- Powerhouse Article | Policy Drivers
Tracing the Timeline: 101 Years of the Federal Power Act
Few legislative actions still ring true more than 100 years after they were enacted, but the Federal Power Act…
- Powerhouse Article | Policy Drivers
Roundup of Recent Hydro-Related State Policy Activity
NHA regularly tracks policy activity at the state level. Over the past few months, state policy makers have been…
- Powerhouse Article | Electricity Markets
Winter 2021 Storm Event in Texas: An Assessment of the Energy System Reliability Failures
An initial overview and assessment of electrical system reliability failures experienced during the extreme weather event that occurred within…
- Powerhouse Article | Policy Drivers
Ensuring the Safety of Dams: What Will It Take?
States and the federal government responsible for ensuring the safety of the 90,000 dams across the U.S. are looking…
- Powerhouse Article | Electricity Markets
FERC Commissioner Clements and RTO Leaders Provide Insights into Hydro’s Role in the Grid of the Future
Attendees at the April 28, 2021, plenary session during the Waterpower Week conference heard about hydro’s role in the…
- Powerhouse Article | Regulatory Insights
Court of Appeals Ruling Seen as Significant Stride Forward in Long March toward Licensing Reform
A ruling earlier this month by a U.S. Court of Appeals re-affirms that “one year means one year” for…
- Powerhouse Article | Regulatory Insights
Understanding FERC’s Existing Financial Assurance Practices
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has issued an NOI – a Notice of Inquiry - requesting comments on…
- Powerhouse Article | Regulatory Insights
3 Steps for EPA Nominee Michael Regan to Take To Reduce the Temperature of the Columbia and Snake Rivers
The temperature of the Columbia and Snake Rivers increased 1.5 degrees Celsius since 1960, a trend that threatens the…
- Powerhouse Article | Regulatory Insights
FERC Accepts ‘Deny Without Prejudice,’ Forces Hydropower Licensees into Regulatory Purgatory
By finding “deny without prejudice” fulfills a state’s obligations under the Clean Water Act, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission…
