Hydropower and Marine Energy Industry Workers

Employers

Approximately 72,400 people are currently employed in the U.S. hydropower industry, according to the National Hydropower Association (NHA).

Hydropower plants are found throughout the United States. Hydropower projects can be separated into two categories: large hydropower projects run by the federal electric utilities and operated by the Bureau of Reclamation (http://www.usbr.gov) and the Army Corps of Engineers (https://careers.hydro.org/jobseekers), and nonfederal hydropower dams (about 1,610 in the United States) licensed by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the top 10 hydropower generating states are Washington, California, Oregon, New York, Alabama, Montana, Arizona, Idaho, Tennessee, and North Carolina.

Starting Out

Your college’s career services office is an excellent starting point in your job search. Use its resources while you are still in school, as well as after graduation, to search for job leads. You can also find job leads via contacts you make during your internship, through professional associations, and at career fairs. The National Hydropower Association represents more than 300 companies in the North American hydropower industry, from small mom-and-pop companies to Fortune 500 corporations. According to its Web site its members "range from large power generators—the companies that produce hydroelectricity—to service and equipment providers that provide the goods and services used throughout the entire industry supply chain." Visit https://www.hydro.org/membership/members-directory for a list of members.