The US Bureau of Reclamation last week responded to unusually high energy demands across the western United States, with the situation demonstrating hydropower’s integral role as a renewable, reliable, abundant, carbon-free source of electricity, it said in a statement. Actions initiated last week by the USBR include: Glen Canyon, Morrow Point, Hoover, Davis and Parker dams ramping up power production in response to California’s electrical emergency and to help stabilize the western electrical grid. Central Valley Project maximizing generation and reserves to make more energy available during peaks as well as shifting pumping operations to off-peak periods to reduce system load. Pacific Northwest federal dams generating enough electricity to meet load requirements for the Columbia River Basin and selling surplus power to California via the Bonneville Power Administration. “Reclamation is the second largest hydropower producer in the Nation. Our multi-purpose dams are once again respo