The US Bureau of Reclamation will invest approximately US$52m in infrastructure, operations and maintenance projects at Hoover Dam, including the replacement of up to three ageing turbines with wide-head turbines capable of operating at lower reservoir elevations.
The funding will come from the Hoover Dam Post Retirement Benefit Fund, which was originally established by the Western Area Power Administration to cover unfunded retirement costs for Hoover employees. Reclamation said the fund is no longer required for pension purposes and can now be used for operation and maintenance activities.
The investment comes as prolonged drought and declining water levels at Lake Mead continue to reduce hydropower generation capacity at the facility.
“This action ensures Hoover Dam remains a cornerstone of American energy production for decades to come,” said Assistant Secretary for Water and Science Andrea Travnicek. “By investing in critical infrastructure upgrades and advanced wide-head turbine technology, we are increasing the dam’s resilience to drought, protecting reliable hydropower generation for communities across the Southwest, and delivering on President Trump’s commitment to strengthen America’s energy security through modernised infrastructure and responsible resource management.”
According to Reclamation, a significant portion of the funding will be used to install wide-head turbines designed to operate at lake elevations below 1035ft. The agency said the turbines are expected to restore at least 160MW of hydropower capacity and reduce the impact of low reservoir levels on generation.
Recent technical assessments found that existing older turbines are likely to experience severe cavitation damage below the 1035ft elevation threshold, reducing generating capability. Reclamation said updated operational modelling showed Hoover Dam’s generating capacity at that elevation could fall from earlier estimates of 1302 MW to 382MW.
Wide-head turbines are designed to continue operating at elevations approaching 950ft without excessive damage, extending the facility’s operational range under low-water conditions.
“Unlocking these funds allows us to move forward with critical upgrades at one of the nation’s most important hydropower facilities,” said Acting Commissioner Scott Cameron. “We look forward to working with the Lower Colorado River Basin power customers on this needed upgrade.”
Reclamation said it will continue working with power customers and regional stakeholders to prioritise additional infrastructure and operational projects supported by the remaining Post Retirement Benefit funds.
Historically, Hoover Dam has delivered up to 2074MW of hydropower capacity, supplying electricity to around 1.3 million people across the US Southwest. Reclamation said generation has declined by around 30% due to drought conditions.
