Hydropower

All states in the U.S. generate hydropower except two states.

Hydropower is a major renewable energy source that produces electricity using the natural flow of water (EERE 2024). Hydropower generation relies on rainfall, which changes with the seasons and from year to year. In 2023, U.S. hydroelectric power made up 6% of electricity generation, about 240 billion kWh. Approximately 50% of U.S. hydroelectric capacity is in Washington, California, and Oregon (EIA 2024a). All states except Delaware and Mississippi produce hydroelectricity (EIA 2024a, EERE 2024).

In Missouri, most of the electricity is generated from coal, a pattern that has remained consistent over the last 10 years (Figure 1). In 2023, coal provided 59% of Missouri’s electricity, hydropower 2%, and the rest from natural gas, nuclear power, wind, solar, petroleum, and biomass. Every year, Missouri consumes more electricity than it produces, leading to the importation of power from other states through the regional grid (EIA 2024b). Missouri has nine electricity producing hydropower plants of which six are conventional plants and three are hydroelectric pumped storage system (DNR 2024). One hydroelectric plant stopped generating electricity in June 2024 (Sho-Me 2024, Federal Register 2024a).

Missouri among top five states with the potential for industrial conduit hydropower.

A conduit is any tunnel, canal, pipeline, flume, ditch, or similar human-made water transport channel that is typically designed for agricultural, municipal, or industrial water distribution and not primarily for the generation of electricity (Kao et al. 2022). When these channels are modified to incorporate hydropower technology for generating electricity, they are classified as conduit hydropower. Conduit hydropower does not require the construction of new dams or reservoirs leading to low environmental impact (Kao et al. 2022).

The total conduit hydropower capacity in the U.S. is 530 megawatts (MW). However, the U.S. has a total potential of 1414 megawatts (MW) of new conduit hydropower. The 1414 MW hydropower potential can be met using three different conduit types, municipal, agricultural, and industrial (Kao et al. 2022). The agricultural sector holds the highest share at 662 MW, followed by the industrial sector with 378 MW, and the municipal sector with 374 MW. Missouri is not among the top 10 states with high potential for conduit hydropower when considering all three conduit types, but it was among the five states (California, followed by Texas, Missouri, New York, and Maryland) with the greatest industrial conduit hydropower potential (Kao et al. 2022).

Figure 1. Net electricity generation in Missouri from 2013 to 2023. From U.S. Energy Information Administration Electricity Data Browser (EIA 2024c).

Conduit and run-of-river hydropower projects are implemented across various U.S. states to improve energy affordability.

Implementation of conduit hydropower is slow, although Congress streamlined the process by creating a 45-day federal regulatory approval process for such projects (Hydropower Regulatory Efficient Act). Three states have started building and using conduit hydropower. Beaverton, a city in Oregon uses the municipal water system for conduit hydropower (Beaverton Oregon 2024). More conduit hydropower is expected to be built in the city of Tualatin, Oregon (Federal Register 2024b). California has implemented conduit hydropower and has more projects in progress (CEC 2024, Maloney 2023). California also released a guidebook on conduit hydropower implementation (Badruzzaman et al. 2020). Colorado uses conduit hydropower in rural areas (Segerstrom 2018). The Colorado Department of Agriculture funds and the United States Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) funds projects like the conduit hydropower for agricultural producers (Rentricity 2024). House Bill 14-1030, passed in 2014 accelerated the development of small hydroelectric power in Colorado by streamlining the states’ environmental reviews for small hydropower projects. 

The run-of-the-river (ROR) dams, also known as river diversions or non-storage hydropower can function on smaller rivers as large dams are not required, leading to reduced environmental impact. They operate by channeling some part of a stream's flow from a small dam through underground pipes, before releasing it back downstream (Silverthorn 2018). Building ROR dams on smaller streams is becoming a viable option for generating hydroelectric energy in regions with suitable geography (Silverthorn 2018). ROR projects are funded by the Energy Improvements in Rural or Remote Areas (ERA). ERA funds community-led energy initiatives that highlight innovative clean energy systems throughout rural America (OCED 2024). The ERA program aims to strengthen energy reliability, and affordability in small communities (under 10,000) nationwide while creating more Jobs. In 2024, ERA funded ROR projects in states like Alaska (OCED 2024).

References 

Badruzzaman M, Cherchi C, Sari MA, Jacangelo JG, Swindle M et al. (2020). California’s In-Conduit Hydropower Implementation Guidebook. California Energy Commission. https://www.energy.ca.gov/sites/default/files/2021-05/CEC-500-2020-030.pdf 

Beaverton Oregon (2024). City of Beaverton Turns Drinking Water System into Source of Clean, Renewable Energy. https://beavertonoregon.gov/?contentId=160f9e8f-9532-4c6f-857a-d0052f6260e8 

California Energy Commission (CEC). (2024). San Gabriel Valley Water Company "Plug and Play" In-Conduit Hydropower Development Project (SGVWC Project). Energy Innovation. https://www.energizeinnovation.fund/projects/san-gabriel-valley-water-company-plug-and-play-conduit-hydropower-development-project 

Federal Register (2024a). Sho-Me Power Electric Cooperative; Notice of Availability of Environmental Assessment https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/08/05/2024-17199/sho-me-power-electric-cooperative-notice-of-availability-of-environmental-assessment 

Federal Register (2024b). City of Tualatin, Oregon; Notice of Preliminary Determination of a Qualifying Conduit Hydropower Facility and Soliciting Comments and Motions to Intervene. LINK  

HB14-1030, 2014 Legislature, Legislative session (CO 2014). LINK  

H.R.267, 2013-2014 Legislature, 113th Congressional Session. https://www.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/house-bill/267  

Kao SC, George L, Hansen C, DeNeale ST, Johnson K, et al. (2022). An assessment of hydropower potential at national conduits. Oak Ridge National Lab (ORNL) https://info.ornl.gov/sites/publications/Files/Pub176069.pdf 

Maloney P (2023). California MUD Plans In-Conduit Hydropower Pilot Project. American Public Power Association. https://www.publicpower.org/periodical/article/california-mud-plans-conduit-hydropower-pilot-project 

Missouri department of natural resources (DNR) (2024). Hydroelectricity. https://dnr.mo.gov/energy/energy-resources/hydroelectric. 

Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE). (2024) Hydropower Basics. Waterpower Technologies Office. https://www.energy.gov/eere/water/hydropower-basics 

Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations (OCED). (2024). Energy Improvements in Rural or Remote Areas Selected and Awarded Projects. 

https://www.energy.gov/oced/energy-improvements-rural-or-remote-areas-selected-and-awarded-projects 

Rentricity (2024). Ute Tribe Farm and Ranch Enterprise Announces First System-Wide InConduit Hydropower Clean Energy Projects with Rentricity. https://rentricity.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Rentricity-UMFRE-REAP-Press-Release-9-5-24.pdf 

Segerstrom C (2018). A revolution in hydropower makes waves in rural Colorado. https://www.hcn.org/articles/hydropower-a-revolution-in-hydropower-takes-root-in-rural-colorado/ 

Silverthorn VM, Bishop CA, Elliott JE, Morrissey CA (2018). An assessment of run-of-river hydroelectric dams on mountain stream ecosystems using the American dipper as an avian indicator. Ecological Indicators, 93:942-951. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2018.05.086 

Sho-Me Power Electric Cooperative (2024) FERC License Update https://www.shomepower.com/about-sho-me/niangua-river-dam/ 

U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). (2024a). Hydropower explained. Where hydropower is generated. https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/hydropower/where-hydropower-is-generated.php 

U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). (2024b). Profile analysis. Missouri state profile and energy estimate. https://www.eia.gov/state/analysis.php?sid=MO 

U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). (2024c). Electricity Data Browser, Net generation for all sectors (thousand megawatt hours), Missouri, 2013-2023. LINK