Hydropower is Key to an All-of-the-Above Energy Future 

By Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA-05) 

Energy prices continue to skyrocket due to the Biden administration’s war on American energy production and jobs. Families are paying more on every drive to school or trip to the grocery store. Since his first day in office, President Biden has been clear that American energy security was not his top priority. From canceling the Keystone XL pipeline and draining the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, to limiting our access to critical materials here at home, President Biden’s rush-to-green energy agenda has made America more reliant on adversaries like Russia and China.
 
American energy security reinforces our economic and national security. It’s all connected, which is why America must lead with a strong energy mix of America’s abundant energy resources, including hydropower.
 
In my home state of Washington, hydropower is vital to our way of life. The Columbia-Snake River System has transformed our region from a dry, barren sagebrush area to one of the most productive agricultural regions in the world. With more than 60 dams in the Columbia River Basin, the system provides more than one-third of all the hydropower capacity in the United States. These hydroelectric dams supply water for irrigation, help control flooding, and produce affordable and reliable energy that gives families and businesses in our region a competitive edge.
 
Hydropower accounts for 70% of our electric generation in Washington. It provides a renewable, carbon-free power source that grid operators can dispatch at a moment’s notice. Yet, only 3% of all dams in the United States currently produce electricity.
 
That’s why I introduced the Hydropower Clean Energy Future Act, which would help double hydropower in the U.S. by modernizing an outdated permitting process, promoting next generation hydro technology, and eliminating barriers to new dam development. This would lower energy costs, enhance grid reliability, and ensure that America continues to be a leader in reducing carbon emissions.
 
While renewable energy from sources like wind and solar play a role in America’s overall energy mix, they are weather-dependent and are not a substitute for the generation from baseload power sources like hydropower. Just ask the people of California, a state that imports a significant amount of hydroelectric power from Washington state. California relies on hydropower to balance its grid when inconsistent resources like wind and solar can’t produce enough energy to meet demand.
 
The Hydropower Clean Energy Future Act will help preserve our existing hydropower fleet and bring more power online as demand grows into the future. American energy production creates jobs, lowers prices, and increases grid reliability. To win the future and ensure American prosperity, we must expand hydropower as a part of an all-of-the-above energy approach.