US dispatchable clean power output hit by drought

• 6 days ago (2024-10-30)
• David Flin

Hydropower 129 North America 1020

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An enduring drought across much of the western United States has caused a drop in US hydropower generation to a 23-year low so far in 2024, according to data from the US Energy Information Administration (EIA).

This has limited the amount of zero-carbon power that can be dispatched on command, resulting in power suppliers having to depend more on natural gas to balance system demand requirements.

Total US hydropower production over the first eight months of 2024 was 171 TWh, down 3 per cent from the same months in 2023, and the lowest for that period since 2001. Roughly half of all US hydropower production is concentrated in the three western states of California, Oregon, and Washington. Collective output in these states was down 3 per cent, in line with the national average.

An enduring multi-year drought across western USA has been the main driver behind the fall in hydropower generation. This has resulted in a fall in the share of hydropower in the US generation mix. From January to September, hydropower accounted for a record low share of 5.2 per cent of total electricity production, according to the energy think tank Ember . That compares to an average share of 6.5 per cent for the same period from 2015 to 2023.