Hydropower

Deutsche Bank warned that this year’s strong El Niño weather system could disrupt global supply chains, agriculture, hydropower, and shipping, while also pushing inflation higher amid existing economic stress. The phenomenon is expected to bring wetter conditions to the US, weaker monsoons in India, and increased natural disaster risks, with China preparing typhoon survival training.

A major power line, the Champlain Hudson Power Express, designed to deliver Canadian hydropower to New York City, has been non-operational for 10 days amid a heat wave. The line, capable of powering a million homes, faces a cable issue on the U.S. portion, disrupting efforts to meet increased energy demand and reduce reliance on fossil fuels.

New York City building owners may soon use renewable energy credits to support clean energy projects, but hydropower's role could complicate the city's building decarbonization law. The availability of these credits as early as next month offers a new compliance option for the law.

A study by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) warns that El Niño conditions could reduce India's wind and hydropower output while increasing air conditioning demand, creating a potential 18 TWh generation gap by June 2027.

Paraguay generates nearly all its electricity from hydropower but uses only a fraction, creating a surplus it aims to sell to AI data centers. A US firm, X8 Cloud, has proposed a $50 billion investment over three decades for what it describes as South America-focused projects.

The U.S. power grid faces reliability challenges this summer due to extreme heat, rising demand from data centers and AI, variable renewable energy sources, and regional weather risks like droughts and wildfires. Grid operators are implementing emergency measures to manage stress but warn of potential localized outages or price spikes during extreme conditions.

India is targeting 100GW of hydropower development as the global sector shifts toward 'water battery' technology, according to the 2026 Global Hydropower Outlook. China remains dominant with over 300GW of hydropower projects under construction, including 218GW of pumped storage.

Africa has seen hydropower growth, but Nigeria continues to face chronic power shortages, grid collapses, and a significant electricity access deficit despite having substantial hydropower resources.

A 339-mile hydropower line from Quebec to Queens, called the Champlain Hudson Power Express (CHPE), now supplies clean energy to New York City's grid, capable of powering 1 million homes and reducing carbon emissions by 37 million metric tons through 2040. The project, operational since May 13, was celebrated by Governor Kathy Hochul for its role in reducing fossil fuel reliance and addressing environmental justice concerns in areas like Astoria.

The New England Clean Energy Connect transmission line began carrying electricity from Canada to Maine in January, initially praised as a renewable power triumph. After six months, early operational data has sparked doubts about the project's effectiveness in advancing its goals.

Colombia’s reservoirs were at 69% in early June, below the 80% target set by the grid operator ahead of El Niño. The country relies heavily on hydropower for electricity, making reservoir levels critical to power supply.

Nepal's hydropower development relies heavily on India as its primary buyer and exclusive transit route, granting India significant influence over Nepal's energy ambitions. This dependency creates a power imbalance in their bilateral relationship.

America’s hydropower systems are facing challenges, and the federal government may soon provide funding to address them. The article is from the Canary Media Weekly newsletter.