Political Quotes

“I thank my good friend from Idaho and my good colleagues from the other side of the aisle for allowing this amendment to receive consideration. Hydropower is one of the Nation's most affordable and reliable renewable electricity resources. With over 100 gigawatts of installed capacity, hydro makes up nearly 7 percent, on average, of all U.S. annual electricity generation. As a matter of fact, hydro is the single largest source of renewable electricity, representing over one-half of all renewable energy generation in 2018. This is due to the significant advantage hydropower generation, as a baseload source of energy, has over intermittent sources, like wind and solar. It provides predictable, continuous generation 24-7-365 without the need to hold backup generation in standby to power the lights when the Sun goes down or the wind stops. Because of this important distinction, additional hydropower generation results in increased generation rather than just capacity. If we want to be serious about increasing renewable energy, we need to focus on what works best. More can and must be done to significantly expand this vital energy resource. Only 3 percent of the 80,000 dams in the U.S. currently generate electricity, leaving substantial potential for additional generation from unpowered dams. As a matter of fact, in my home State of Pennsylvania, there is an estimated 678 megawatts of untapped hydropower.…”