Conventional Hydropower

  • Hydropower Asset Assessment and National Resource Assessment - Assess the condition and performance of all U.S. federal and non-federal hydropower plants, equipment, dams, diversions, reservoirs, non-powered dams, pumped-storage facilities and their connectivity in river basins. Develop and maintain an up-to-date U.S hydropower integrated dataset. Evaluate and prioritize the potential to increase power production by converting non-powered dams and to add new pumped storage facilities to the existing US fleet.  For more information please see: http://nhaap.ornl.gov/
  • Hydropower Advancement Project - Apply systematic assessment to existing hydropower facilities for implementing best practices to lower cost and reduce uncertainty of return on investment of operations improvement and equipment upgrades. These activities are aimed at increasing hydropower capacity, efficiency, and environmental performance at existing power plants. For more information click here.
  Aerating turbine technology  
  Aerating turbine technology improves tail water quality with minimal efficiency losses.  
  Flow Control Gates  
  ORNL research is aimed at improving reliability of equipment such as the flow control gates.  
  Operators ensure that turbines operate  
  ORNL decision support research will help operators ensure that turbines operate within regions of maximum efficiency.  

http://www.esd.ornl.gov/human_health_risk/env_analysis/hydro_effects.shtml