More of the Clean Water Story

Dam, Dam, Dam...

We have been saying that hydropower can replace much if not all of the fossil fuel consumption in the United States. That’s a pretty tall order and we better have some hard facts to back up that statement.

First of all we must concede that we’re going to need help –from Canada. And that’s going to involve some real diplomacy and statesmanship on both sides of the border. Accordingly our plans must include at least some success in negotiations with the Canadians.

Second, the fossil fuels: these range from the low carbon:hydrogen materials like methane, to natural gas, to heating oil, and liquid petroleum up to materials that are almost pure carbon such as anthracite coal and its brethren. It’s the coal we are after and the removal of its carbon footprint. We can go after the others later.

Now, the revised statistics (in Gigawatts) that apply are as follows:

USA Canada
Total Energy Capacity 982.8 123.8
Total Hydro Capacity 120.0 75.4
Potential Additional Hydro 150.0 234.0


Total Possible Hydro US/Can. 270.0/309.4
Total Coal Capacity 313.2/16.2

While these statistics change from time to time the fact is that between existing and development of the potential hydropower production there would be enough hydro-generated electricity to replace the use of coal in both countries.

At what cost? As we have said, hydropower results from falling water or flowing water (rivers, tidal). Where falling water already exists, as in waterfalls, harnessing the power is much less expensive than building dams.

The Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant cost to build today is $9.9 Billion

The cost to build a coal-fired plant today (not yet clean) is $2 Billion

The cost to build a natural gas-fired plant is slightly less than coal

In 1931 it cost $50 million to build the Hoover Dam – Today’s cost: $690 million!

And no carbon waste to bury, no dust, no nuclear waste to bury – and the cost of fuel is $ZERO!

And they all have to travel through the grid – next stop!