Updated Baseline Cost Model for Hydropower, 2023

Dataset Overview

The “Updated Baseline Cost Model (BCM) for Hydropower” is an empirical model for estimating the costs of US hydropower projects in six categories (Non-Powered Dam (NPD), New Stream Development (NSD), Canal/Conduit, Pumped Storage Hydro (PSH), Capacity Expansion, Generator Rewind). The model equations have been estimated with data on existing or planned projects obtained from various sources and does not capture the universe of potential hydropower project sites in the US. As with any econometric model, results of the model are generally valid for inputs that are not too far out of the range of the underlying data.

NOTE: This is a macro-enabled workbook, so Excel may block it on the first opening. In that case:

1.  Save the workbook to a local directory
2.  Right-click on the workbook in the local directory and select “Properties”
3.  Then check “Unblock” at the bottom of the “General” tab.