Malcolm Woolf’s Post

Thanks to NHA’s awesome board for such a productive, engaging and fun strategic planning process. Inspired by your innovative thinking, NHA and the industry are well positioned for sustained success.

Dam good indeed. In fact, in 2022, conventional hydropower generation avoided 180 million metric tons of GHG (equivalent to 48 coal plants or 50,231 windmills). That’s dam impressive!

It's debate night in America! Yet unlike the presidential election, Americans don't need to choose between renewable energy sources. The #cleanenergy grid of the future will rely on a diverse group of carbon-free energy sources all working together, including wind, solar, batteries, and - of course - water power. #Hydropower is an essential component in this mix, supporting other renewables with its quick and reliable dispatchability. A recent DOE report found that existing hydropower and pumped storage offer low-carbon operating reserves to support approximately 140 GW of variable renewable energy. At the National Hydropower Association, we are partnering with other clean energy technologies to create a strong and reliable clean energy grid. No matter who occupies the White House next year, this priority won't change.

Excited to be joining NARUC and NASEO for a webinar this Thursday on the pivotal role of hydropower in shaping our energy landscape. Most Governors, State PUC Commissioners, and State Energy Office officials are unaware that one-half of the non-federal fleet faces relicensing by 2035. Many are considering premature license surrender due to persistent challenges in permitting and relicensing, lack of federal tax support for the existing fleet, and inadequate market compensation for the grid reliability services provided. Join us THIS Thursday, June 20, from 3:00 to 4:00 P.M. ET, as we delve into how regulators and state energy officials are spearheading initiatives to ensure that hydro remains a cornerstone of our evolving electric system. Our esteemed panel of speakers includes: 🔹 Malcolm Woolf, National Hydropower Association 🔹 Corey Vezina, U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)’s Water Power Technologies Office 🔹 Clark Mather, Northwest RiverPartners. Register now: https://bit.ly/3Rp3CvV

FERC is back to full strength! Congratulations to the newest Commissioners, David Rosner, Judy Chang, and Lindsay See, who were confirmed by the U.S. Senate earlier today. As the head of NHA, I'm looking forward to working with new commissioners, along with FERC Chair Willie Phillips and Commissioner, Mark Christie, on a host of priorities, including #hydro licensing reform, shoring up our grids in the face of #climatechange, and growing American-made energy. On a personal note, let me also thank departing Commissioner Allison Clements for her service. Her integrity and dedication are second to none.

With much of the nation gripped in the summer's first heat wave, grid resilience and reliability are again front-page issues. I'm truly looking forward to this NARUC Innovation Webinar which will explore what state regulators need to know about hydropower's role in promoting 24/7 reliability, the looming risk of a wave of premature hydropower retirements, and really cool marine energy technologies.

Scorching temperatures are predicted next month across the western U.S., which means more strain on our electricity grid. Fortunately, water power - America's first renewable energy resource - is available to balance the grid when other forms of energy need a boost. For example, hydropower played a critical role in preventing a massive blackout in California in the summer of 2022, notwithstanding the ongoing western mega-drought. As night set in, tens of thousands of MWs in solar generation began to fade. That's when hydropower stepped in, increasing its generation by 30% to over 5,000 MW by 7 pm.   The flexibility provided by carbon-free water power is truly an MVP in these times of extreme weather when we need power fast. So, while you're enjoying a hot summer day, be sure to thank water power for keeping us cool.

Participating on this NEI panel earlier in the week prompted me to reflect on the striking similarities between the nuclear and hydropower industries. Both industries: 1) Are essential to 24/7, reliable #cleanenergy grid, 2) Suffer from "shiny object syndrome," whereby we reflectively focus on "new," instead of maximizing all sources (new and existing) of carbon-free electricity, and 3) Face premature retirements, which would jeopardize grid reliability and reverse our climate progress. Thanks to #NEI for organizing the great event - and I look forward to deepening the coordination between all forms of carbon-free generation!

Thanks to #EESI for hosting a great Capitol Hill briefing yesterday on the nation’s 90,000+ dams. The discussion was shaped by a startling fact: Only 3% of dams in this country (2,300) produce electricity; the remaining 97% (87,000+ in the National Inventory) were built for flood control, irrigation, water storage, navigation, and/or recreation. From this surprising fact flows several conclusions:      1) There’s a lots of opportunities to add carbon-free generation to existing infrastructure, and      2) Not all of the 90,000 existing dams still serve a useful purpose. Looking forward to working in the months ahead with my co-panelists, Tom Kiernan of #AmericanRivers, Kayed Lakhia of #FEMA, Siva Sundarson, #USFWS, and Dave Gould from City of Plymouth, MA.”