Maintaining & Enhancing Hydroelectricity Incentives

For capital improvements directly related to:

1. Improving Grid Resiliency, including—
   1. Adapting more quickly to changing grid conditions
   2. Providing ancillary services (including black start capabilities, voltage support, and spinning reserves)
   3. Integrating other variable sources of electricity generation
   4. Managing accumulated reservoir sediments
       
2. Improving Dam Safety to ensure acceptable performance under all loading conditions (including static, hydrologic, and seismic conditions), including—
   1. Maintenance or upgrade of spillways or other appurtenant structures
   2. Dam stability improvements, including erosion repair and enhanced seepage controls
   3. Upgrades or replacements of floodgates or natural infrastructure restoration or protection to improve flood risk reduction
       
3. Environmental Improvements
   1. Adding or improving safe and effective fish passage, including new or upgraded turbine technology, fish ladders, fishways, and all other associated technology, equipment, or other fish passage technology to a qualified hydroelectric facility
   2. Improving the quality of the water retained or released by a qualified hydroelectric facility
   3. Promoting downstream sediment transport processes and habitat maintenance
   4. Improving recreational access to the project vicinity, including roads, trails, boat ingress and egress, flows to improve recreation, and infrastructure that improves river recreation opportunity 

Additional eligibility information is provided in the final guidance.

• Biden-Harris Administration Invests $430 Million to Upgrade America’s Hydropower Infrastructure
• Biden-Harris Administration Releases Nearly $600 Million to Modernize and Advance Water Power Across America | Department of Energy
• Biden Administration Releases Draft Application Guidance for $553.6 Million Program to Ensure the Availability of Clean, Reliable Hydroelectric Generation Capacity | Department of Energy
• Biden Administration Launches $630 Million in Programs to Modernize Nation's Hydropower Fleet | Department of Energy

The Department of Energy anticipates announcing a second round under this program in the 2025 calendar year.