IN THIS EDITION…

NHA’s Scouting Report

Latest on how NHA is working on your behalf

Committee Corner

The Latest about Committee and Council activities

Marine Energy

Small Hydro

On Your Radar…

The latest deadlines, reminders, & alerts

Movers & Shakers

See who has been moving around lately

Upcoming Events

Mark your calendars for upcoming NHA Events

 

The Latest:

Advocating for Waterpower 

 

One of NHA’s core value propositions to member organizations is to advocate for the preservation and expansion of hydropower in all its forms.  

 

You, our members, count on NHA to find ways to advocate for waterpower … with policy makers, law makers, and the public. 

 

2 specific examples of putting advocacy into action are below: 

 

#1: Already this year, NHA’s CEO Malcolm Woolf has shared the story of waterpower’s contributions to the revolutionary energy transition going on in the United States with thousands beyond our industry, including: 

  • State energy officials (at the NASEO Energy Policy Outlook Conference) 
  • State public service commissioners (during the NARUC Winter Policy Summit) 
  • Other electricity technology leaders (at the U.S. Energy Agency’s Annual State of the Energy Industry Forum)  

 

#2: NHA is doing the work to make it easy for you to meet your U.S. Senators and Representatives on May 9  

  • On May 9, during Waterpower Week in Washington, each of you join in on the advocacy. 
  • Learn more about Advocacy Day and how to sign up here.  

 

What are we advocating for? Read here to learn of the association’s key policy priorities: NHA Key Policies page. 

NHA’s Scouting Report

Here’s how NHA is working on your behalf

URGENT! Responses due Tuesday, February 28, to U.S. Department of Energy’s request for comments on its draft guidance for how to apply for financial grants for grid resilience, dam safety upgrades, and environmental enhancements at existing hydro facilities  

  • NHA is putting together comments and will share them with member organizations this Friday, February 25 
  • If you want to see the comments, email catherine@hydro.org 
  • Member organizations who have points to include in the comments need to provide those IMMEDIATELY to Michael Purdie at michael@hydro.org 
  • Need a reminder of what’s at stake?

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Grid Deployment Office is charged with distributing grants to hydropower owners for grid resilience, dam safety upgrades, and environmental enhancements at existing hydropower facilities.     

  • How much can a facility receive? Grants up to 30% of capital expenditures; capped at $5 million a year. 
  • $553 million worth of grants is available until it is expended. 
  • For your background: Comments NHA submitted to DOE on September 6, 2022, on behalf of the membership about how the grants are distributed can be found HERE.  

 

Input Needed: Join NHA in Shaping U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Process for Developing New Hydro at Existing Dams 

On March 1, provide input and recommendations on the Corps’ implementation of hydro provisions in the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2022.  

Thanks to NHA’s advocacy, WRDA 2022 includes language to create a more consistent process for reviewing 408 applications, intended to make adding hydropower generation at existing dams owned by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers a bit easier.  

NHA will join the call on behalf of its members and also will submit comments to the Corps on the implementation of a new streamlined process.  

If you have questions and would like to be a part of the industry group working on those comments, please email Michael Purdie (michael@hydro.org), Brittney May (brittney@hydro.org), or Kelly Rogers (kelly@hydro.org). 

BACKGROUND: The Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2022, a subset (Division H) of the James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023, was signed into law on December 23, 2022.  

NHA worked with Senators Daines, Feinstein, and Representative Kuster on amending the National Defense Authorization Act, via WRDA, to create a more consistent process for reviewing 408 applications, which will make adding hydropower generation at existing dams owned by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers a bit easier.  

The Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works (ASACW) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is conducting a 60-day public comment period through March 21 to provide an opportunity for the public to give input and recommendations on the implementation of any provision contained in the WRDA of 2022.  

 

Good News from the Ninth Circuit! 

Tuesday, February 21, the Ninth Circuit found that a district court order vacating the Trump Administration’s 401 rule lacked the authority to do so — a point that NHA argued at the district court. 

This decision reinstates the Trump administration’s rule finalized in 2020. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is currently finalizing a new 401 rule that would replace this one. 

To learn more about the implications of the 401 ruling, read the POWERHOUSE article here. 

 

NHA Advances DEI Priorities with Strategic Partnerships 

The NHA Board of Directors has a new policy focusing the association on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices. 

NHA is turning words into action in 3 specific ways.  

#1: NHA is now a member of Renewables Forward, a group of organizations looking to incorporate principles of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) into daily operations.  

 

 

 

#2: In addition to joining Renewables Forward, NHA signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Global Women’s Network for the Energy Transition, providing a framework for gender equality in the energy sector.  

 

#3: And, NHA is committed to amplifying talent from diverse communities, ensuring that our industry conference speakers and session panelists are increasingly women and people of color, as well as those with diverse perspectives.  

 

For more information on how NHA is advancing DEI across the waterpower industry, please reach out to Marycella Dumlao at marycella@hydro.org. 

 

Is your alma mater on the list below?  

If so, let us know by emailing marla@hydro.org or texting 816-588-4639.  

  

  • California Polytechnic State University 
  • California State University Fresno 
  • California State University San Marcos 
  • Columbia University 
  • Cornell University 
  • Endicott College 
  • Instituto Superior Tecnico 
  • Manhattan College 
  • Michigan Technological University 
  • North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University 
  • Northern Arizona University 
  • Oakland University 
  • Oregon State University 
  • Penn State University 
  • Purdue University 
  • Stevens Institute of Technology 
  • Texas A&M University 
  • Texas Tech University 
  • University of California Merced 
  • University of California Riverside 
  • University of Houston 
  • University of Massachusetts Dartmouth 
  • University of Michigan 
  • University of New Hampshire 
  • University of North Carolina 
  • University of Virginia 
  • Virginia Tech 
  • Webb Institute 
  • Yale University 

  

We are looking to match up alumni from these schools listed above with students interested in hydropower and/or marine energy. 

  

Students from these schools are competing in collegiate competitions for conventional hydro and marine energy and will be at Waterpower Week in Washington (May 7-9) for the competitions’ grand finale.  

 

Waterpower Trivia Break…

Time to test your waterpower knowledge! In each Playbook edition, we’ll present you with a hydropower or marine energy brainteaser.

 

This week our first three respondents with the correct answer were Andrew Ware of American Hydro Corportation, Chris Porse of Mavel, and Jessica Ehrley of Emerson. 

 

Last Edition’s Answer: While the Kansas City Chiefs pulled off a win and played a great game, Pennsylvania has more existing hydropower than Missouri. Learn how much hydropower is in your state by using NHA Hydro Map. 

 

QUESTION OF THE WEEK:

 

In honor of President’s Day, celebrated on Monday: Which President said the following while visiting Grand Coulee Dam during its construction?

 

“We look forward not only to the great good this will do in the development of power, but also in the development of thousands of homes, the bringing in of millions of acres of new land for future Americans.”

 

The first three respondents with the correct answer will be announced in the next NHA Member’s Playbook. Email your answer to  info@hydro.org.

Upcoming Events

Committee/Council Corner

Find details on each NHA Committee and Council HERE. 

IMPORTANT: Any employee of an NHA member organization is welcome to participate in any/all of the calls and activities of any committee or council. To get notifications about a particular group listed below (i.e., to “join”), simply email: marla@hydro.org

 

 

Future Leaders of Waterpower (FLOW)

 

  • Check out the newly re-designed FLOW page!
  • March 16, 3 PM ET: Next FLOW Meeting, agenda to be shared closer to the meeting

 

 

Hydropower Technical Community

 

2 important dates – tomorrow, February 24, and April 7. Read on to find out more!

 

Trainings for How to do Comprehensive Assessments, Risk Analysis 

New regulations from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) require training for conducting comprehensive assessments. To help meet these training requirements, FERC’s Division of Dam Safety and Inspections (D2SI) is conducting these training classes:

  • March 7-9, 2023: Hydrologic Hazard Analysis for L2RA, in-person in Denver, Colorado
  • April 25, 2023: Overview of Revisions to Part 12 Program, virtual
  • July 26 –27, 2023: PFMA/L2RA, in-person in Minneapolis, Minnesota
  • September 6-8, 2023: Hydrologic Hazard Analysis for L2RA, in-person in Washington, DC

Friday, February 24th, 2023 – Registration deadline

 

To register, send the following information to RIDM@ferc.gov.   

  • Name:
  • Organization:
  • Role/Title:
  • Discipline:
  • Years of experience:
  • Email:
  • FERC licensee (Y/N):

 

Gain Insights into Your Organization’s Safety Performance: Take the joint HTC and EUCG Safety Survey! 

  • Participants get the full survey results report
  • Identifying information is redacted.
  • April 7: Responses due.
  • Contact Anthony Laurita for details and a link to the survey: Anthony@hydro.org  

 

 

Stay Tuned! Monthly 45-Minute “Lunch and Learn” Webinar Series 

  • NHA is “breaking ground” on an initiative to offer employees of NHA member organizations a monthly learning opportunity.
  • Topics to include: Dam Safety, Operations and Maintenance, Public Safety, Operational Excellence, Workforce Challenges, and more
  • Webinars will be recorded and posted in the NHA Member Portal, thus creating an on-demand library for operational and technical topics
  • Contact Anthony Laurita at Anthony@hydro.org with questions.

 

 

Legislative Affairs Committee

 

    • March 7, 2 PM ET: Legislative Affairs Committee Monthly Virtual Meeting
    • Call for Working Group participants to work with NHA staff to coordinate legislative outreach and engagement with Capitol Hill:
      • Tax Incentives
      • License Reform
      • New York State Advocacy

                     Want to join a group (or all 3!)? Contact Brittney May at brittney@hydro.org (specify which group/groups) 

    • Save the date: May 9, NHA’s Advocacy Day. Join others in efforts to elevate important waterpower initiatives on Capitol Hill.

 

 

Marine Energy Council

 

  • ICYMI – February 21, NHA MEC Featured Presentation on “PRIMRE: Readily Available Data and Information on Marine Energy.” Watch the recording HERE, and check out the slides HERE. 
  • March 7, 3 PM ET – MEC Monthly Member Meeting. If you do not have the meeting invitation on your calendar, please let Kelly Rogers (kelly@hydro.org) know. 
  • March 21, 3 PM ET – March “Featured Presentation” on two National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) projects for which the lab seeks feedback:
    • Updates to the Risk Analysis Framework
    • Tidal energy elicitation

 

 

Markets Committee

 

  • Have items of interest to your company in FERC-jurisdictional markets you want to discuss? Reach out to Mike Purdie at michael@hydro.org.  
  • March 6, 1 PM ET: Markets Committee Monthly Meeting

 

 

Public Affairs Committee

 

  • ICYMI: February 14 NHA Member-Only Briefing: How NHA Is Shaping Public Perception about Hydro. Watch the recording HERE, and check out the results guide HERE.  
  • SAVE THE DATE: August 24  -  National Hydropower Day  

 

Pumped Storage Development Council

 

FYI: Reservoir Liners Study Released

The U.S. Department of Energy’s HydroWIRES released the final technical report on the pumped storage hydropower liners study; check it out here: Reservoir Lining for Pumped Storage Hydropower

 

Mark Your Calendar! 

2023 dates for Pumped Storage Development Council meetings:

  • Friday, March 10, 1 PM ET
  • Wednesday, May 10, 3 PM  ET (in-person at Waterpower Week in Washington)
  • Friday, July 14, 1 PM ET
  • Friday, September 8, 1 PM ET
  • October – date TBD (in-person at Clean Currents)
  • Friday, December 8, 1 PM ET

**Note: NHA will circulate calendar invitations shortly to contacts signed up for the Pumped Storage Development Council.

 

If you are not currently part of the Pumped Storage Development Council and would like to participate, please email Brittney May: brittney@hydro.org  

 

 

Regulatory Affairs Committee 

Click HERE to log into the NHA Member Portal and access the amicus brief filed with the Supreme Court that provides support for the official petition from NHA member organizations Turlock Irrigation District and Modesto Irrigation District, who requested certiorari (for the Supreme Court to hear the case), to review a D.C. Circuit’s ruling involving state action on a water quality certification.  

 

Join NHA staff on the first of many calls discussing the 2023 Inflation Reduction Act implementation, covering an overview of the Section 48C (e) guidance and discussion of inventory priorities. Email Michael Purdie at michael@hydro.org for more information.

 

 

Small Hydropower Council

NHA Needs to Hear from You!

To inform the work of the council, as well as to shape NHA’s policy priorities related to advancing and growing the small hydro sector, Council leadership is requesting you fill out this brief SURVEY.

 

Please see the above write-up in “Scouting Report” about two timely developments with U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) funding and the implementation of the streamlined Section 408 process for adding hydropower generation to existing U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ dams.  

Waterpower Innovation Council

Plan to attend! 

May 9, 4:45 PM ET: Real-World Applications of Innovation session at Waterpower Week in Washington 

Want to learn more? Email Anthony Laurita at Anthony@hydro.org  

 

Advocacy and Outreach

Bring Your High Schooler to Work

  • NHA staff had the pleasure of working with Andritz’s Darren Houghton’s daughter for a week in January. High school sophomore Ashlyn-Renee Houghton worked in the NHA office as an intern. In addition, she took time out to visit her U.S. Representative on Capitol Hill.
  • Ashlyn-Renee got to attend Malcolm’s speech at the U.S. Energy Agency’s Annual State of the Energy Industry Form and met with her representative to discuss the importance of waterpower. 

 

Mark the Date

  • May 9 – Advocacy Day on Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C. 

 

Outreach … Inspire a Young Person in Your Life

NHA New Member Spotlight

NHA is pleased to announce Chalmers & Kubeck and Techno Hydro have joined NHA – read more about each company below and welcome them to the NHA family: 

 

Chalmers & Kubeck is a leader in manufacturing, maintenance, and repair with a hard-earned reputation for quality, services, and complete customer satisfaction. Our state-of-the-art, three-acre facility is an authorized repairs center with ISO 9001:2015 registration for complete quality assurance.

Our Hydro Division now allows us to fully enter an industry that we have serviced for many years. Our newly acquired team brings extensive experience in both field disassembly and reassembly, unit maintenance, shop repair, full Kaplan and Francis rehabilitation, gearbox refurbishment, technical direction, project management, and craft labor support. Combined with Chalmers & Kubeck’s extensive machining capabilities, makes our Hydro Division a one-stop-shop for customers, unlike any competitor in the industry.

 

Learn more here

 

 

 

 

 

 

Based on our Italian manufacturing roots, Techno Hydro designs, integrates, manufactures, and supplies hydropower turbines and all electromechanical equipment and systems in our state-of-the-art factory in Guatemala City. Our strategic manufacturing location in Central America enables us to be price-competitive with fast delivery throughout the western hemisphere reducing your overhaul time, increasing availability, reliability, and efficiency, which translates into more MWh!

 

Learn more here

 

 

 

NHA’s membership is made up of more than 300 companies and organizations. Bookmark the online member directory for easy reference.

NHA Member Organizations in the News

Check out news about NHA member companies HERE.

Movers and Shakers 

 

Kleinschmidt Adds Three New Staff Members!

 

  • Chris Goodwin, Vice-President for Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions

 

 

Tom Heller Retiring from Missouri River Energy Services, New President and CEO Announced

 

Matthew Schull of ElectriCities of North Carolina has accepted the position of President and Chief Executive Officer for Missouri River Energy Services. Matt will replace Tom Heller, who will become President Emeritus on May 12, ahead of his planned retirement on June 30.

NHA Congratulates  

NHA member organizations, who are supporting Waterpower Week in Washington:

  • GE
  • Voith
  • American Hydro
  • Andritz
  • Eagle Creek Renewable Energy
  • HDR
  • Kleinschmidt
  • Mavel
  • Rock Creek Energy Group
  • Schnabel Engineering
  • Stoel Rives LLP
  • Stantec
  • Troutman Pepper

 

Gomez & Sullivan for 30 years providing specialized engineering, environmental science, and data management services to the water resource and energy sectors!

 

Paul Séguin, Senior Vice President, Renewable Generation, Ontario Power Generation, an NHA member organization, for being appointed to the board of directors of the Northeast Power Coordinating Council, Inc. (NPCC) . Paul is accountable for the operation of OPG’s hydro, thermal, and solar generating facilities. He oversees a $250 million annual project portfolio and leads the renewable generation team, which has over 1,200 professionals. Paul is accountable for the operation of OPG’s hydro, thermal, and solar generating facilities. He oversees a $250 million annual project portfolio and leads the renewable generation team, which has over 1,200 professionals.

 

 

Do you know of NHA member organizations or employees working for those organizations who deserve a public pat on the back? Please share with marla@hydro.org. 

Membership Tip of the Week

Did You Miss the Briefing on How NHA is Shaping Public Perception About Hydro?

Watch the recording today! 

 

Connect & Learn

How NHA is helping its members connect, learn, network, and do business with each other and the entire waterpower industry

 

 

Just Released! Call for Speakers for Clean Currents 2023

 

 

 

 

Just Released! Full Program Schedule

 

 

 

Working in the Midwest? If so, plan to be in Middleton, Wisconsin, April 25-26 

  • NHA’s 2023 Midwest Regional Meeting is co-hosted with the Midwest Hydro Users Group (MHUG)
  • Alliant Energy is the host utility 
  • 24 NHA member organizations who are sponsoring the event
  • Network with industry professionals who work in the Midwest 
  • Participate in discussions on workforce challenges, dam safety, the Endangered Species Act, and more!  
  • Tour Prairie du Sac Dam  
  • Meet students at the University of Wisconsin-Madison
  • Register here   

 

 

Stay connected by reading POWERHOUSE. You get an email every Monday from powerhouse@hydro.org. Don’t see it in your inbox? Add us to your safe senders list to get us out of spam/quarantine! 

Getting On Your Radar…

 

Friday, February 24: Deadline to sign up to Learn How to Meet FERC’s NEW Comprehensive Assessment Training Requirements

 

New regulations from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) require training for conducting comprehensive assessments. To help meet these training requirements, FERC’s Division of Dam Safety and Inspections (D2SI) is conducting these training classes:

 

  • March 7-9, 2023: Hydrologic Hazard Analysis for L2RA, in-person in Denver, Colorado
  • April 25, 2023: Overview of Revisions to Part 12 Program, virtual
  • July 26 –27, 2023: PFMA/L2RA, in-person in Minneapolis, Minnesota
  • September 6-8, 2023: Hydrologic Hazard Analysis for L2RA, in-person in Washington, DC

 

Friday, February 24th – Registration deadline

 

To register, send the following information to  RIDM@ferc.gov.   

  • Name:
  • Organization:
  • Role/Title:
  • Discipline:
  • Years of experience:
  • Email:
  • FERC licensee (Y/N):

 

 

Introduce a Girl to Engineering Today

 

Today, February 23, is the National Society of Professional Engineers’ Girl Day. This is a worldwide campaign to engage girls in engineering. This is a great opportunity to highlight female engineers making a difference in marine energy. Positive role models are key to recruiting and retaining diversity in our profession. Learn More

 

 

Join FERC for an EJ Roundtable

 

Wednesday, March 29, 2023: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) convenes a roundtable on Environmental Justice in Infrastructure Permitting. More details HERE about the purpose of the roundtable and how to register. NHA will prepare and provide membership with key takeaways following the roundtable.

 

 

NHA Respects Your Privacy

 

We know that many of you are receiving convincing-looking emails asking if you want to buy NHA event attendee lists; some even include our logos! Please know that NHA does not sell contact information.

We deeply respect the privacy of our members and event attendees and we have never, nor will we ever reach out to anyone with offers to sell our mailing lists.

 

Any communications that say otherwise are scam attempts and should be deleted and/or blocked. 

Operational Excellence Program (OpEx)

  • Featured Event Report: Powerhouse Weir Injury and Near Miss Event
  • An OpEx Event Report is an event or near miss experienced by a hydropower operator related to its operations, maintenance, environmental performance, or safety (dam, employee, or public). Have an experience to share? Submit an Event Report at hydroexcellence.org.

 

The NHA member-only OpEx program is the hydropower industry’s only voluntary event reporting system that receives, distributes, archives, and catalogs operating experiences and resulting best practices and lessons learned. 

Industry Job Opportunities

 

NHA Is Hiring! 

 

NHA seeks a Director of Legislative Affairs 

 

Use the Job Board 

 

NHA has a “job board” – member organizations can post job openings and available internships on this board, which averages 191 views per job posting.  

  

Member organizations who’ve recently used the tool: American Municipal Power, Andritz, Canyon Hydro, Eagle Creek, Mavel Americas Inc., Northern California Power Agency (NCPA), SMUD Sacramento Municipal Utility District, Tacoma Power 

 

Check out the Career Center here NHA Career Center! 

 

Funding & Technical Assistance Opportunities

Sign Up to Receive Funding Notices from the U.S. Department of Energy – Register for the new list HERE

 

$75 Million in Hydro Efficiency Improvements Soon Available to Hydro Owners and Operators

  • The U.S. Department of Energy’s Grid Deployment Office (GDO) plan to release the final guidance and open the 2023 application period for Hydroelectric Efficiency Improvement Incentives (known as Section 243).  
  • With $75 million in incentive payments available, owners and operators of existing hydro facilities may apply for funding to make capital improvements that increase efficiency by at least 3%. 
  • Incentive payments won’t exceed 30% of the cost of capital improvements and are capped at $5 million 

 

Looking for funding to maintain, upgrade, and repair a dam? 

If yes, you’ll want to check out the US Army Corps of Engineers Corps Water Infrastructure Financing Program (CWIFP).

  

Working in a Rural or Remote Area? 

  • See slides HERE from the rules workshop held by National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)

 

Are you a Small Business Looking for Loan Financing?

Applications being accepted on a rolling basis for the US Department of Agriculture’s Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) Renewable Energy Systems & Energy Efficiency Improvements State-Level Guaranteed Loans & Grants

 

Funding for a Tidal RD&D site, Community‐led Tidal Energy Planning and Project Execution 

The Department of Energy released a revised Notice of Intent (NOI) for the $45 million funding opportunity titled, “Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), Section 41006(a)(2): U.S. Tidal Energy Advancement.” See the revised notice HERE. No application timeline has been released yet.