Weather
Ongoing Drought Could Cut California's Hydropower In Half This Summer
The EIA flagged that as of April 1, California's snowpack was about 40% below the median value from 1991 through 2020.
June 3, 2022
The severe drought in California threatens to significantly undermine the state's ability to generate hydroelectric power, raising costs for families and driving up planet-warming emissions, according to a federal government forecast.
Find out what's happening in Across Californiafor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Assuming drought conditions persist, California's hydroelectric generation would be 48% less this summer than if water conditions were normal, the US Energy Information Administration said in a blog post on Wednesday.
The EIA flagged that as of April 1, California's snowpack was about 40% below the median value from 1991 through 2020. That is significant because it means less snow will melt and flow into the state's reservoirs this spring.
Find out what's happening in Across Californiafor free with the latest updates from Patch.
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