Three C-level executives at power producing companies in the U.S. and Ghana revealed what they see as the largest challenges, and also opportunities, for the global hydroelectric power industry at the Utility Executive Roundtable session of HYDROVISION International 2023.

The three executives are:

Emmanuel Antwi-Darkwa, chief executive officer, Volta River Authority

Joseph Kessler, executive vice president and chief operating officer, New York Power Authority

Jimmy Staton, president and chief executive officer, Santee Cooper

The executives first revealed what they see as the biggest challenges for their companies and for the broader industry. Topics discussed included Federal Energy Regulatory Commission licensing and relicensing in the U.S. and also how regulations can delay new development in Africa. The three executives also discussed how climate change and other environmental issues are affecting hydropower operations and how they are addressing this important issue. While not all are experiencing water shortages, changes in weather patterns have impacted operations, and forecasting future effects can be challenging.

On the subject of facility upgrades and capital plans, the executives addressed the challenges of developing a future workforce for the industry, as well as finding enough skilled labor to perform needed work. Regarding supply chain issues, they discussed hydro’s unique position of requiring so much “one off” work and equipment design/sourcing, which complicates planning for capital projects. VRA faces fewer challenges in regard to a skilled labor force, in part due to an academy the utility established to train the next generation of hydropower workers.

Once the main challenges were acknowledged and addressed, the executives discussed opportunities for growth or market positioning for both their own companies and the industry as a whole. Energy storage was an important discussion topic, as intermittent renewables require a backup for grid stability. NYPA owns pumped storage hydropower and recognizes its value in the overall system. Santee Cooper doesn’t have suitable locations for pumped storage but is installing battery backup for its Jeffries hydropower station.

The discussion closed with a focus on the opportunities artificial intelligence and machine learning offer to hydropower operations. In particular, this technology can be valuable in analyzing the plethora of data available, much quicker than individual workers, and potentially identifying trends that improve plant operations. Just how much hydro owners can rely on these tools remain to be seen, but the opportunity needs and deserves to be explored, the executives said.