May 2, 2016

Along the Ohio River in Kentucky and West Virginia, 4 dams originally built for passage of large ships in the 1960s and 70s are being retrofitted for hydroelectricity production. Scheduled to be completed by the end of 2016, the 4 dams are projected to produce 313 megawatts (MW) of energy. These dams will result in an increase of hydroelectric output in WV by 15 percent, in KY by 32 percent, and the entire Ohio River by 130 percent.

These 4 retrofitted dams along the Ohio River are an example of how hydroelectric capacity is shifting in the United States. An April 2016 report issued by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), expects 1083 MW of hydroelectric energy capacity to be installed between 2015 and 2019, with 422 MW of that coming from non-powered dams (NPDs), such as the 4 dams along the Ohio River that were not previously used to generate electricity.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) released a report in 2012 on NPDs, claiming that NPDs have the potential to add 12 gigawatts (GW) of generating capacity to the entire U.S. portfolio, increasing hydroelectric power generation by 15 percent.

Sources: E&E News, U.S. Energy Information Administration, U.S. Department of Energy

Updated 6/9/16