Whooshh Hydropower Value Calculator — Report generated
Dam:

Whooshh Hydropower Value Calculator

Interactive Economic Analysis Tool

⚡ Updated with 2025/2026 Prices • Corrected Hydraulic Heads • OVG-Calibrated Capacity Factors

Estimate additional hydropower generation (MW) and annual revenue ($) unlocked by replacing conventional fish ladders with the nearly waterless Whooshh Passage Portal™. Uses the methodology from the OVG Consulting study (March 2018), now updated with current wholesale electricity market pricing from EIA, BPA, and IEA data.

📈 Wholesale Electricity Price Context (Peak $/MWh)

Day-ahead weighted-average peak prices at regional trading hubs

Period	Mid-C (Northwest)	NP-15 (N. California)	SP-15 (S. California)	Key Driver
2016–2017 (OVG Study)	~$34	~$28	~$47	Baseline period
2024	~$44	~$47	~$52	Jan cold snap, low gas
2025	~$30 (↓$14)	~$55	~$62	Gas +56%, Mid-C hydro up
2026 (est.)	~$38	~$58	~$65	BPA FY26, demand growth

2025 Update: Wholesale prices rose at most U.S. hubs in 2025, driven by a 56% increase in Henry Hub natural gas prices ($3.52/MMBtu). Mid-Columbia was the notable exception, declining ~$14/MWh due to increased hydro and solar generation in the Northwest. 2026: BPA’s FY2026 Priority Firm power rate is $37.77–$40.16/MWh; California hubs expected to remain elevated with data center demand growth.
Sources: EIA (Feb 2026), BPA BP-26 Rate Case (Jul 2025), IEA Electricity 2026.

⚡ Quick-Fill: Select a Study Dam

Columbia & Snake River dams from the OVG study — click to auto-fill parameters

🔧 Dam & Fish Ladder Parameters

Dam Name

Baseline Dam Capacity (MW)

Fish Ladder Water Flow Rate

= 99.97 m³/s

Effective Hydraulic Head (meters)

Turbine Efficiency Factor (0–1)

Market Hub & Year

Wholesale Electricity Price ($/MWh)

Annual Peak Operating Hours

Annual Capacity Factor (0–1) User-Adjustable

📋 Note: For the eight OVG study dams, the Annual Capacity Factor is pre-calibrated to the OVG study’s actual annual average results (2016–2017 USACE data). These dam-specific factors account for seasonal maintenance closures, daily flow variability, and real turbine efficiency curves. Only the Custom / Your Dam option uses the user-adjustable capacity factor input — all OVG presets auto-fill with their verified factor.

🔨 Auxiliary Pump Parameters (power freed by eliminating pumps)

Number of Auxiliary Water Pumps

Flow Rate per Pump

= 847.6 CFS

Pump Head (meters)

Pump Efficiency Factor (0–1)

📈 Results — Your Dam

Peak Additional Power

—

MW (instantaneous)

Capacity Factor Applied

—

User-Adjustable

Annual Average Power

—

MW (OVG-equivalent)

Capacity Increase

—

Annual Energy Added

—

MWh / year

Est. Annual Revenue (selected hub)

—

USD / year

💰 Revenue at All Hubs (2025 vs 2026 Est.)

Mid-C (Northwest)

2025 @ $30/MWh

—

2026 est. @ $38/MWh

—

NP-15 (N. California)

2025 @ $55/MWh

—

2026 est. @ $58/MWh

—

SP-15 (S. California)

2025 @ $62/MWh

—

2026 est. @ $65/MWh

—

Your Result vs. OVG Study Benchmarks (MW)

📊 OVG Study Data with Updated 2025/2026 Revenue Estimates

Original 2016-17 averages + scaled to current wholesale prices

Dam	River	Surplus MW	% Uplift	OVG 2016-17 Revenue ($K)			Est. 2026 Revenue ($K)
Dam	River	Surplus MW	% Uplift	Mid-C	NP-15	SP-15	Mid-C	NP-15	SP-15

2026 estimates calculated by scaling OVG revenues proportionally to price changes: Mid-C ×(38/34), NP-15 ×(58/28), SP-15 ×(65/47). Actual revenues will vary based on daily price patterns, seasonal hydro conditions, and trading strategy.

📚 Methodology & Formulas

Hydropower Formula: P = F × ρ × g × H × Ef
where F = water flow (m³/s), ρ = 1000 kg/m³, g = 9.81 m/s², H = effective head (m), Ef = efficiency factor.

Pump Savings Formula: P_pump = (N × Q × ρ × g × H_pump) / Ef_pump
Auxiliary pumps currently consume power to deliver make-up water to fish ladders. Eliminating them frees this energy.

Annual Average Power: P_avg = P_peak × CF
The Annual Capacity Factor (CF) accounts for seasonal maintenance closures, variable daily flow rates, and real turbine efficiency curves. For the eight OVG study dams, CF is pre-calibrated to match the OVG annual average results; for custom dams, CF defaults to 0.85 and is user-adjustable.

Revenue: Revenue = (P_avg × Operating Hours) × Electricity Price
Surplus generation sold on regional wholesale markets (Mid-C, NP-15, SP-15 hubs). During spring spill season (Apr–Jun), only peak-hour trading is assumed.

Unit Conversion: 1 CFS (cubic foot per second) = 0.0283168 m³/s

Price Scaling (2025/2026): OVG historical revenues are scaled proportionally to current hub prices. E.g., 2026 SP-15 revenue ≈ OVG revenue × ($65 / $47).

Hydraulic Head: This calculator uses effective hydraulic head (actual water level differential through turbines), not dam structure height. OVG preset heads are corrected to USACE operational data.