Hoover Dam is getting a sorely needed facelift. (Las Vegas Review-Journal)
About dam time: The US Bureau of Reclamation is offering $52M to replace three aging turbines at the dam. It’s an urgent upgrade: Its reservoir Lake Mead is set to reach a record-low 1,020 feet above sea level in July 2027—and older turbines can’t operate below 1,035 feet.
Not so fast: The new, wide-head turbines could restore over 160 MW of hydro capacity…but not until construction wraps up in Oct. 2028 (at the earliest). If the hydro-dependent West keeps seeing super dry winters, such dam upgrades could become increasingly urgent.