Testifying before the House Natural Resources Committee Subcommittee on Water and Power, Glenn English, CEO of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) warned against neglecting the nation’s hydropower resources in the face of an increasing demand for electricity.

The Energy Information Agency has projected that electricity demand will grow 30 percent by 2030, requiring 264 gigawatts of electricity -- 2.5 times the power now generated in the state of Texas.

“More than ever before,” English told committee members, “renewable hydropower must be part of the diverse mix of fuels to meet our consumers’ needs.”

“Unfortunately, the hydropower capabilities at federal dams have been compromised by years of insufficient funding, even though federal hydropower investment is repaid with interest to the U.S. Treasury,” English said.

English urged the Subcommittee to shore up the nation’s historic investment in hydropower: “By abandoning its stewardship of this important national resource, the federal government has compromised the reliability of federal hydropower generation at a time when renewable energy resources are increasingly important in the effort to reduce carbon emissions as well as meet growing electricity demand.”

Federal hydropower program remains a very important source of power for more than 600 electric cooperatives. In total, 50 million people nationwide share the benefits of the federal hydropower program. The (EIA) reports that hydropower accounts for nearly 75 percent of the country’s renewable energy supply, while meeting seven percent of consumers’ total energy needs.