Rural NV Counties Especially Vulnerable to Hoover Dam Hydropower Decline

Rural NV counties especially vulnerable to Hoover Dam hydropower decline

Pioche is the county seat of Lincoln County. The nonprofit Lincoln County Power District gets 70% of its electricity from Hoover Dam, but that power supply is projected to drop precipitously. (Photo: Sydney Martinez/Travel Nevada)Hoover Dam is the largest hydropower producer on the Colorado River, but as reservoirs continue to drop toward dire levels, rural communities in Nevada that depend on the dam’s low-cost electricity are facing a precipic…

Rural Nevada counties especially vulnerable to Hoover Dam hydropower decline

As reservoirs continue to drop toward dire levels, rural communities that depend on Hoover Dam's low-cost electricity are facing a precipice.

Rural NV counties vulnerable to Hoover Dam hydro decline

Lake Mead is projected to drop below the critical threshold of 1,035 feet above sea level within the next 12 months, at which point the hydropower generating capacity at Hoover Dam would be cut from 1,302 megawatts to just 382. Continue reading…