U.S. touts hydropower potential

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WASHINGTON, April 17 (UPI) -- The United States is working on a sustainable hydropower agenda that will address domestic energy needs, officials said.

The U.S. departments of Interior, Energy and the Army unveiled a two-year progress report on its implementation of a broad-based memorandum of understanding on hydropower.

"Hydropower can be further harnessed to support this country's future energy," Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Michael Connor said in a statement. "By using new technologies and taking advantage of unpowered existing facilities, more clean power can be generated."

The progress report notes that more than 75 percent of the goals named in the MOU were achieved. Among the accomplishments is the construction of a database for U.S. hydropower infrastructure, climate change analyses and improvements in the licensing process.

"Because of its significant advantages over other energy sources, hydropower will continue to play an important role in meeting the nation's energy needs in the years to come," said Jo-Ellen Darcy, assistant secretary of the Army for Civil Works, in a statement.

The departments touted hydropower as part of U.S. President Barack Obama's "all-of-the-above" domestic energy policy.