Whether a seasoned government affairs professional or an individual hydro professional interested in communicating hydro’s benefits with policymakers, this “nuts and bolts” session will provide event attendees the information they need to be effective advocates for our industry.

The workshop includes: tips for setting up meetings; how to “make the ask”; ...read more...

There are many new faces at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) with changes at both the leadership level and among the staff. This session provides an opportunity to hear from FERC leadership:
     What are their priorities?
     What challenges do they see on the horizon?
  ...read more...

The U.S. and Canadian power systems as a whole, and the hydro systems in particular, are intricately connected. Yet, U.S. energy policy development and its benefits will be different for companies on either side of the border. Panelists in this session discuss “hot topic” hydro-related issues affecting both sides of ...read more...

In this facilitated discussion with audience participation, panelists offer specifics of where they are finding funding today, including private investment, loans, grants, and other available incentives. The session also offers time to identify "wish lists" for economic incentives that would help hydro going ...read more...

Join this session to explore alternatives for owners of existing hydro projects with Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) licenses close to expiration. Alternatives to applying for a relicense include:

·         Re-powering/re-investing by amending an existing license

·         Decommissioning/Surrendering

·         Migrating from a license to an exemption

What are the considerations owners are taking into ...read more...

Cities, states and other institutions continue to advance energy and environmental policies, such as renewable energy and sustainability goals, renewable portfolio standards, and cap-and-trade programs. 

This session will highlight a new NHA report, prepared by the Brattle Group, that analyzes hydropower’s role in meeting these policies in the past and discusses current examples and ...read more...

Ensuring the safety of dams continues to be of paramount importance to the hydro industry. With the recent occurrences of several extreme weather events and highly publicized dam performance incidents, the topic of dam safety is receiving increased attention from policy makers, the media, and the public. This session highlights ...read more...

As the regulator for the hydropower industry, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has a front-row seat on policy development to promote new U.S. hydropower and pumped-storage deployment and the relicensing of existing projects. FERC Chairman Kevin McIntyre provides an update on Commission activities in the hydropower sector and his ...read more...

Complying with all the elements in a FERC license can be complex, especially when there are conflicting mandates and requirements as well as changing environmental circumstances. Explore how licensees are approaching compliance when faced with unexpected changes in circumstances after reaching a settlement in the licensing ...read more...

We all know that as an industry we need to amplify hydropower’s message. But what does that entail - strategically and tactically? And how does that relate to my individual company?

During this session, we will review several real-world scenarios that can be leveraged to communicate hydropower’s message.

Scenario Topics:

     ○  ...read more...

Did you know that the U.S. Department of Energy is conducting research that could make a real difference for hydro? Studies like a market analysis is just one of many that support the industry. In this session, the DOE’s Waterpower Technologies Office shares highlights of exciting work that directly benefits ...read more...

Come and get the “inside scoop” on the status of policies of importance to your company’s bottom line – energy legislation, tax reform, appropriations, and more. The panel will discuss the White House and congressional agenda in the second year of the Trump Presidency and how the National Hydropower Association ...read more...

In the event of a crisis, are you prepared to effectively respond?

During this session, we will discuss crisis communications strategies and tactics for responding to events in the digital and traditional media landscape, as well as preventative reputational ...read more...

Join the conversation with a panel of the “new-next-now” generation of hydro professionals as they share views about:
     What attracted them to this industry and where else did they look?
     What elements of the job offer were most attractive?
     What keeps them coming back to ...read more...

Even though significant investment has been made in the U.S. federal hydro system, there is still more to do to increase plant performance, capacity, and generation. In an era of constricting budgets, new solutions are needed to meet the needs.
Topics discussed in this session include:
     ...read more...

The Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act (PURPA) of 1978, in response to the energy crisis of the 1970s, was designed to support domestic renewable energy sources. PURPA requires utilities to purchase electricity produced from “qualifying facilities” (QFs) owned by independent power producers if that electricity could be delivered at a ...read more...

The Hydraulic Power Committee (HPC) provides a forum for the hydropower industry, including federal and non-federal owners and operators, service providers, product and equipment manufacturers, contractors, and other hydropower professionals, to exchange critical information related to the technical and environment aspects of operating hydroelectric facilittaties.

At the HPC's spring meeting, you ...read more...

Experts discuss key legal issues and precedent-setting cases that are shaping the hydro industry today. Gain insider perspectives on how these issues and outcomes may affect your ...read more...

Reliability, ancillary services, energy storage, wind/solar integration – these are all grid benefits that hydropower and pumped-storage projects provide and for which state regulators and regional grid operators are seeking to increase. The national government is taking a closer look at these issues with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), ...read more...

The television game show circuit has nothing on us!

In this fun, fast-paced session, you’ll get up to speed on important facts and information you need to know related to the National Hydropower Association, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, U.S. Department of Energy, Congress, general waterpower facts, and much ...read more...

Like in the U.S., there are multiple energy sectors and regions throughout the world experiencing a resurgence in new pumped-storage projects. The main difference is that these regions seem to have found a way to cross the last few hurdles to get projects into construction that projects in the U.S. ...read more...