Twenty-one projects across Maine have been selected to be the recipients of more than $33,8 million from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for hydroelectric projects in Maine according to a press release issued this morning from the office of Congreswoman Chellie Pingree (D). The Department of Energy announced $430 million for hydropower infrastructure upgrades across 33 states, including a total of $33,810,291 forr 21 projects across Maine.

The Maintaining and Enhancing Hrdoelectricity Incentives program is designed to enhance existing hydropower and pumped storage facilities for capital improvments directly related to grid resilience, dam safety, and environmental improvements.  Potential eligible capital improvements include improvements that enable the integration of variable resources,  That includes wind and solar improvements for dam safety, such as spillway upgrades and basin repair and improvements in environmental conditions, such as fish passage, water quality and recreation.

Hydropower currently accounts for nearly 27% of renewable electricity generaion in the US as well as 93% of all utility-scale  energy storage.  However, the fleet is aging, with many facilities in need of repair and upgrades.

“As our earliest form of renewable energy generation, hydropwer has reliably kept America  running for almost 150 years – and the Biden-Harris Administration is ensuring these long-standing facilities can continue the steady flow of clean power,” said US Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Grinholm.  “Today’s funding will expand and modernize our hydropower fleet, whlle protecting, thousands of American jobs.”