Hydropower

GEI’s services to the hydropower generation industry grew out of our rich history in geotechnical engineering, which positioned us to become national leaders in dam engineering. Under the regulatory authority of Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), the hydro industry must comply with rigorous national standards for the design, operation and maintenance of dams and storage reservoirs, as well as the canals, flow lines, and penstocks associated with hydro projects.

GEI’s historic focus has been on the safety aspects of hydropower including dam and facility inspections, evaluations of potential safety issues and design and construction of remedial measures to improve safety and operational reliability. Several of our staff have extensive backgrounds in planning, FERC licensing, and design of hydroelectric projects. With expansion on our staff, GEI now has the capabilities for planning and design of hydroelectric plants and the licensing and the relicensing of existing hydro projects.

We also offer expertise for conducting environmental studies and management, fisheries, fish passage design, and water quality investigations and monitoring. With this expertise, we are able to help hydro owners address their environmental compliance issues within the context for FERC licensing and compliance with FERC-mandated license conditions for operating hydroelectric projects.