U.S. Bureau of Reclamation Hydroelectric Facility Management

We completed the survey phase of our evaluation of the United States Bureau of Reclamation’s (USBR’s) hydroelectric facility management. Our objective was to examine USBR’s strategy for maintaining and increasing hydroelectric power generation. We found that USBR pursues a varied strategy to accomplish this, including a robust maintenance program, technological improvements to existing facilities, and hydrologic studies to identify locations for new facilities. Our work revealed that USBR relies on replacing older generation components with technologically superior ones as the older components reach the end of their effective lifespans. These newer components can either increase overall capacity or are more efficient than the components that they replace. The USBR is focusing on enhancing efficient generation of hydroelectric power at its facilities, as opposed to trying to increase capacity. To accomplish this, it is augmenting systems to deliver consistent power supplies with variable water availability. The USBR has also performed various studies to determine areas for increased hydroelectric power generation, as well as new areas for hydroelectric power development. This has led to increasing hydroelectric power capacity at USBR facilities and leasing USBR facilities for new hydroelectric power development.