Assessing the Hydropower Landscape in Alaska: Infrastructure, Potential, and Future Energy Development

Abstract Submission: The state of Alaska presents unique opportunities and challenges for hydropower and broader energy system development. However, comprehensive hydrological, hydrographic, and infrastructure data necessary for thorough resource assessments is often lacking. This study aims to enhance the understanding of the current hydropower infrastructure in Alaska by comparing operational projects with other existing assets in North America and quantifying patterns in hydropower development. Our methodology includes the application of a natural language processing (NLP) model to Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) documents to extract project-specific characteristics such as facility components, operational regimes, and environmental considerations. We link energy development metrics (e.g., project timelines, capacity, permitting approach) to these characteristics and local hydrography, hydrology, socioeconomics, and connections to the electric grid. These data are analyzed to identify differences in physical infrastructure, energy demands, and environmental mitigation and monitoring practices across projects in Alaska and determine which factors distinguish these projects from other North American hydropower facilities.
The review of operational projects highlights practices or development techniques that lead to increases in capacity, which can have implications for upgrading existing facilities, retrofitting non-powered dams (NPDs), and aligning Alaska’s hydropower resources with emerging energy trends, such as integrating hydropower with hydrogen production. Insights from analyzing development trends help identify optimal locations for more detailed hydropower development feasibility assessments. This study provides a more robust understanding of Alaska's hydropower fleet and its role in supporting the state’s evolving energy landscape.

Learning Objectives/Expected Outcome (Optional) :