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DOE Announces New Round of Hydropower Plant Development Funding by Michael Harris HydroWorld, August 11, 2017

The U.S. Department of Energy is now accepting applications for its latest round of funding for new hydroelectric power development at existing dams and conduits.

The $6.6 million in funding, made under Section 242 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, looks to tap into the U.S.' vast hydropower potential. Currently, just 3% of the country's 80,000 dams have been fitted to produce hydroelectric power, equating to up to 12 GW of outstanding opportunity.

"Using existing dam infrastructure can lower construction costs and reduce permitting time, meaning hydropower is added to the grid faster," DOE's Water Power Technologies Office said in a release.

DOE guidance on EPAct 2005 incentive eligibility can be downloaded here, but applications for the newest round of funding are due Sept. 6, 2017.

HydroWorld.com reported in June that the Senate was considering extensions to both Section 242 and 243 of EPAct 2005. The legislation, introduced by Sen. Cory Gardner, R-Colo., was called the Reliable Investment in Vital Energy Reauthorization (RIVER) Act.