Drought Affecting Hydropower Worldwide
Low water levels have affected hydropower performance around the world after a summer of intense droughts and heat. In China, factories in Sichuan Province, which gets 80% of its power from hydropower, were forced to shut down this summer thanks to power cuts, while malls and offices had lights, A/C, and elevators turned off. In Norway, which relies heavily on hydropower, low reservoir levels have sent electricity prices soaring. And in California, the ongoing Western drought has also led to low hydropower output at crucial sites like the Hoover Dam on Lake Mead.
