New England’s hydropower output has declined sharply this summer due to ongoing drought conditions, raising concerns about regional energy reliance and costs. Electricity generation from hydropower in the region has fallen substantially, prompting increased use of alternative sources like natural gas.
The decrease in hydropower generation stems from unusually low river levels across northern New England. According to ISO-New England records, average daily hydropower generation dropped from over 23,000 megawatt hours in June to approximately 11,500 megawatt hours in August. A flash drought developed this summer, with most of Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont experiencing moderate to severe drought conditions as of the second week of September, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.
“That could be a variety of factors, from things like the weather, if there are say drought conditions that could perhaps impact what generators are making decisions on,” explained Mary Kate Colapietro, a spokesperson for ISO-New England. She also noted that other factors could influence dam owners’ decisions regarding energy sales.
Nick Hollister,operations manager at FirstLight,a clean energy company operating hydropower dams in Massachusetts and Connecticut,explained that most conventional dams rely on natural river flows for power generation. “And as a result other forms of power have to pick up the load,” Hollister said. “In New England the first and most prevalent option for were that power comes from is natural gas.” The shift to natural gas highlights the region’s vulnerability to fluctuating fuel prices and underscores the importance of diversified energy sources.
