Hydropower

Washington Ecology Seeks Comment On Draft Dam Safety Policy and Interpretive Statement

Washington is consolidating 27 dam safety policies into a single interpretive statement, with public comments on the draft guidance due by May 15, 2026. The unified framework clarifies regulatory expectations for infrastructure jurisdiction, emergency planning, and engineering approvals without altering underlying statutes.

3 Apr 2026, 18:22apps.ecology.wa.govUnited States

Austria Maps River Renaturation Targets For EU Nature Restoration Regulation In WISA "Free Flowing Rivers" Atlas

Austria has launched the WISA "Free Flowing Rivers" atlas to map renaturation priorities and barrier removals required under the EU Nature Restoration Regulation. Infrastructure operators, particularly in hydropower and flood management, should use this mapping to anticipate site-specific ecological requirements and potential operational constraints.

28 Mar 2026, 09:01maps.wisa.bmluk.gv.atAustriaEuropean Union

US FERC Sets One-Year Deadline for West Virginia Section 401 Water Quality Certification on Ohio Power and Light Project

FERC has established a firm November 13, 2026, deadline for West Virginia to issue or deny the Clean Water Act Section 401 certification for the Ohio Power and Light project. This timeline ensures regulatory certainty by triggering an automatic waiver of state certification if the deadline is missed, preventing project delays.

27 Mar 2026, 18:18federalregister.govUnited States

US FERC Seeks Comment On Barker Mill Upper Hydroelectric License Application (P-3562-026)

FERC has accepted the Barker Mill Upper Hydroelectric Project license application for environmental review, initiating a public comment period through May 2026. This process will define critical operational requirements for biodiversity and water management, including fish passage infrastructure and flow controls, impacting long-term project viability and compliance costs.

27 Mar 2026, 18:18public-inspection.federalregister.govUnited States

Finland Chemical Industry Position Paper on Electricity Markets and Competitiveness

Finland’s chemical industry has set out its strategic priorities for electricity market reform ahead of the EU’s 2026 Electrification Action Plan. The position emphasizes securing low-cost, low-emission baseload power and avoiding capacity market costs to maintain industrial competitiveness during the transition to climate neutrality.

12 Mar 2026, 09:51kemianteollisuus.fiFinlandEuropean Union

China MOFCOM Publishes 11 Industry Standards on E-Commerce Packaging, Recycling and Digital Trade (Announcement 2026 No. 5)

China’s Ministry of Commerce has finalized 11 industry standards covering green packaging, recycling infrastructure, and digital trade identifiers. Impacted firms in e-commerce, retail, and waste management should prepare for new technical requirements regarding sustainable packaging and digital product labeling.

11 Mar 2026, 16:36hbba.sacinfo.org.cnChina

Norway NVE Initiates New Concession-Requirement Assessment for Nedre Fiskumfoss Hydropower Plant

Norway's NVE has initiated a new licensing assessment for the Nedre Fiskumfoss hydropower plant following evidence of persistent environmental damage to wild salmon. This signals increased regulatory scrutiny of existing hydropower exemptions and underscores the risk of retroactive licensing requirements for infrastructure impacting protected ecosystems.

11 Mar 2026, 12:54nve.noNorway

US FERC Seeks Comments on Pelican Hydroelectric Project Environmental Analysis

FERC has initiated the environmental analysis phase for the Pelican Hydroelectric Project relicensing, setting a May 2026 deadline for stakeholder comments and water quality certifications. This marks a critical window for stakeholders to influence environmental mitigation requirements and operational terms before the final licensing decision is reached.

9 Mar 2026, 18:31federalregister.govUnited States

US FERC Opens Environmental Review and Comment Period for Bad Creek Pumped Storage Project License Application

FERC has accepted Duke Energy’s application for the Bad Creek Pumped Storage expansion, triggering the formal environmental review and public comment period. Stakeholders must act by April 2026 to shape the environmental and operational conditions of this significant energy storage project.

9 Mar 2026, 17:57federalregister.govUnited States

GB Sets Feed-In Tariffs (FITs) Year 17 Administrative Determinations (1 April 2026 To 31 March 2027)

The UK government has finalized the administrative parameters for Feed-in Tariffs (FIT) Year 17, effective from April 1, 2026, to March 31, 2027. Energy suppliers and generators should integrate these updated export value calculations and cost recovery thresholds into their 2026-27 financial and compliance planning.

4 Mar 2026, 15:23assets.publishing.service.gov.ukUnited Kingdom

US FERC Proposes NEPA Categorical Exclusion for Certain Water Power License Terminations and Revocations

FERC proposed expanding NEPA categorical exclusions to streamline the termination of hydropower licenses with minimal environmental impact (Feb 2026). This procedural update will accelerate administrative exits for inactive projects by reducing the regulatory burden and time required for environmental reviews in low-risk scenarios.

27 Feb 2026, 14:52federalregister.govUnited States

US FERC Issues Waiver Notice for CWA Section 401 Certification for Erie Boulevard Hydropower Project

FERC has confirmed a waiver of the Clean Water Act Section 401 water quality certification for a New York hydropower project due to state regulatory inaction by February 2026. This highlights the strict enforcement of statutory review timelines, providing project developers with greater certainty and a mechanism to bypass state-level delays in the permitting process.

27 Feb 2026, 14:51federalregister.govUnited States

US FERC Plans Environmental Assessment for PacifiCorp Klamath Hydroelectric Project

FERC has initiated an Environmental Assessment (EA) for the decommissioning of the Fall Creek Development within the Klamath Hydroelectric Project, with a planned issuance by April 15, 2026. This move signals a shift toward infrastructure divestment and water-supply repurposing, requiring stakeholders to monitor the EA for potential impacts on regional water management and environmental compliance.

27 Feb 2026, 14:51federalregister.govUnited States

US FERC Adopts TVA NEPA Categorical Exclusions for Water Power Projects

FERC has adopted five new NEPA categorical exclusions for water power projects, effective March 22, 2026. This regulatory streamlining reduces the need for lengthy environmental assessments, offering hydropower operators faster permitting pathways for infrastructure and equipment upgrades.

27 Feb 2026, 14:51federalregister.govUnited States

US FERC To Prepare Environmental Assessment for Greenup Hydroelectric Project Relicensing (Project No. 2614-042)

The US FERC has initiated an Environmental Assessment for the relicensing of the Greenup Hydroelectric Project, with a target issuance date of November 2026. This procedural step signals a streamlined NEPA review process, indicating that significant environmental impacts are not currently anticipated for continued operations.

25 Feb 2026, 19:23federalregister.govUnited States

US FERC Seeks Comment on Environmental Assessment for Ampersand Hollow Dam Hydro Project Surrender

FERC has issued an Environmental Assessment for the decommissioning of the Hollow Dam Hydroelectric Project, opening a public comment period through March 16, 2026. The finding of no significant environmental impact suggests a low-friction regulatory path for retiring legacy energy assets when structural footprints remain largely intact.

24 Feb 2026, 19:21federalregister.govUnited States

California SWRCB Proposes Section 401 Water Quality Certification for USACE Energy Emergency Regional General Permit

California is proposing a general water quality certification to expedite permitting for energy and critical minerals infrastructure projects under a federal energy emergency declaration. Operators in the energy and mining sectors should review the proposed conditions and activity exclusions to ensure emergency expansion or maintenance projects remain eligible for streamlined state approval.

23 Feb 2026, 20:01content.govdelivery.comUnited States

US House Introduces Rural Jobs and Hydropower Expansion Act (H.R. 7487)

US House legislation introduced in February 2026 seeks to expand non-federal hydropower development across all Bureau of Reclamation facilities. The bill aims to unlock renewable energy investment by streamlining permitting processes and clarifying jurisdictional oversight between federal agencies.

23 Feb 2026, 19:10govinfo.govUnited States

US FERC Plans Environmental Assessment and 30-Day Comment Period for French Landing Hydroelectric Relicensing

FERC has scheduled an Environmental Assessment for the French Landing Hydroelectric Project relicensing, with the formal review and comment period set for December 2026. The move underscores the regulatory scrutiny facing aging renewable infrastructure and provides a critical window for stakeholders to influence long-term operational and environmental conditions.

18 Feb 2026, 20:51public-inspection.federalregister.govUnited States

India Environment Ministry Panel Recommends Conditional Clearance for Kamala Hydroelectric Project in Arunachal Pradesh

India’s environment ministry has recommended conditional clearance for the 1,720 MW Kamala hydroelectric project, involving significant forest diversion and the felling of 2.3 million trees. The use of inter-state compensatory afforestation highlights increasing land-use constraints for major infrastructure, signaling heightened scrutiny and complex mitigation requirements for high-impact energy projects.

18 Feb 2026, 19:31indianexpress.comIndia