The Energy Department announced it had selected nearly 300 hydroelectric improvement projects on Thursday to receive $430 million in incentive payments to upgrade their facilities.
The selections — funded by the bipartisan infrastructure law — are aimed at enhancing dam safety, improving grid resilience and protecting jobs.
Hydropower accounts for nearly 27 percent of current renewable electricity generation and 93 percent of utility-scale energy storage. But the aging U.S. fleet has left many facilities in need of repair and upgrades.
The 293 selected projects announced Thursday span 33 states and include everything from replacing or upgrading turbines and generators to improving aging dam infrastructure and strengthening existing infrastructure against extreme weather events.
