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Environment

River Action Explores Hydropower on the Upper Mississippi

Michelle O'Neill
/
file photo WVIK News
Dam #15 on the Mississippi River at Rock Island

River Action wants to know whether it's feasible to use the power of the Mississippi River to generate electricity. 

Tuesday in the Quad Cities, it will host a workshop called, "Hydropower, Hydro-Potential." The subject was identified as an action item at last year's Upper Mississippi River Conference.

Adam Burke, Program Manager at River Action, says many companies and organizations have shown interest in building hydropower plants at Mississippi River dams. But it takes about seven years to get a permit from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

"I think the biggest obstacle is return on investment. We've seen it take 30 years for companies to make money. But on the other hand, hydropower plants can run without much maintenance for 100 years."

One of tomorrow's speakers will be Adam Witt, an expert in Energy and Water Resource Systems at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee. Burke says Witt is working on a way to streamline the application process.

Other speakers include Paul Roos, the inventor of a new hydropower turbine from Keokuk, plus officials from the Corps of Engineers, Arsenal Island Public Works, Exelon, MidAmerican Energy, and Stanley Consultants.

River Action's hydropower workshop starts at 8:30 am tomorrow at Western Illinois University (Riverfront Hall) in Moline.

Environment
Officially, Michelle's title for 28 years was WVIK News Editor. She did everything there is to do in the newsroom and whatever was needed around the radio station. She also served as Acting News Director from September 2023 - January 2024.