Following Padilla Push, Bureau of Reclamation Announces $52 Million To Protect Hoover Dam Hydropower in California

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Following pressure from U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) announced Thursday it will invest approximately $52 million from the Hoover Dam Post Retirement Benefit fund in critical infrastructure, operations, and maintenance at Hoover Dam, including replacement of up to three older turbines with wide-head turbines designed to operate at lower lake elevations.

At the Department of the Interior's April 2026 Colorado River briefing to Colorado River basin Senators, Padilla pressed Assistant Secretary of the Interior Andrea Travnicek and Acting Commissioner of Reclamation Scott Cameron about the need for significant upgrades to turbines at Hoover Dam to maintain sufficient power generation for Southern California. Without these upgrades, the decline in the Hoover Dam's generating capacity could cost California water districts millions per year in replacement power costs.

"California receives more than 50% of the hydroelectric power generated by the Hoover Dam, so it's critical that the Bureau of Reclamation stays on top of needed repairs to ensure the Dam can continue to provide needed power, especially after years of severe drought and mounting climate impacts," said Senator Padilla. "By investing in these essential infrastructure upgrades now, we'll help protect a critical energy supply and keep prices lower for California families."

Senator Padilla has long been a strong advocate for ensuring access to safe, reliable water throughout California and across the country. In January, as part of the 2026 appropriations package, Congress also passed the Help Hoover Dam Act, legislation Padilla co-sponsored to allow BOR to access $50 million in unused funds for Hoover Dam operations, maintenance, and improvement projects.

In February, Padilla introduced The Making Our Communities Resilient through Enhancing Water for Agriculture, Technology, the Environment, and Residences (MORE WATER) Act to reauthorize expiring Reclamation programs that support the development of water recycling and environmental restoration projects and create a new federal grant program to help repair California's water delivery system. He also introduced the Growing Resilient Operations from Water Savings and Municipal- Agricultural Reciprocally-beneficial Transactions (GROW SMART) Act, which would authorize Reclamation to fund the development of voluntary demonstration projects for innovative agricultural water efficiency measures and agricultural partnerships with municipal, industrial, and commercial entities.