$5 million award will support efforts to refurbish all turbine components, replace existing generators, and facilitate additional infrastructure upgrades at Tugalo Dam in Tallulah Falls, Georgia
Funding was made possible through Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, championed by Senator Reverend Warnock
Hydropower currently accounts for 27% of renewable electricity generation in the United States
Senator Reverend Warnock: “By upgrading our hydropower infrastructure and making its processes more energy efficient, lawmakers are demonstrating what is possible when we come together to find bipartisan solutions for our communities”
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) announced a $5 million federal investment in Georgia’s clean energy economy, specifically flowing to Georgia Power Company’s Tugalo Dam in Tallulah Falls, Georgia to refurbish all turbine components, replace existing generators, and facilitate additional infrastructure upgrades. The facility began operating in 1923 and is located on the Tallulah River. The funding was made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), championed by Senator Warnock, and is part of a larger $72 million investment by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)’s Hydroelectric Efficiency Improvement Incentives Program to upgrade the reliability and efficiency of hydropower production throughout the United States. The DOE’s announcement marks the largest single investment in America’s hydropower facilities. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has already delivered over $9 billion in federal investments to Georgia.
“Those who came before us have left behind the resources of our planet for us to enjoy, and now the onus falls to us to be good stewards of our Earthly home, which is why I am proud to celebrate this $5 million investment in North Georgia’s clean energy economy,” said Senator Reverend Warnock.“By upgrading our hydropower infrastructure to make it more energy efficient, we’re investing in a cleaner planet and healthier future for generations to come; lawmakers are demonstrating what is possible when we come together to find bipartisan solutions for our communities.”
Investments under the Hydroelectric Efficiency Improvement Incentives Program will support the continued operation of the U.S. hydropower fleet and ensure a more reliable and resilient electric grid system. The owners or operators of hydroelectric facilities, including pumped storage hydropower, receiving the efficiency incentives announced today will make capital improvements that improve their facility’s efficiency by an average of 14% with a statutory minimum of 3% improvement per facility. Investments include upgrades to facility turbines and generators, as well as improvements to water conveyance structures, to increase efficiency. The Hydroelectric Efficiency Improvement Incentives are one of three incentive offerings funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to maintain and enhance existing hydroelectric facilities and ensure generators continue to provide clean, renewable electricity, while improving dam safety and reducing environmental impacts.
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