The Commission regulates over 1,600 non-federal hydroelectric projects in the U.S.  FERC staff in the Division of Hydropower Administration and Compliance (DHAC) ensure that regulated entities remain in compliance with the Federal Power Act, FERC regulations, and the terms and conditions of their respective licenses or exemptions, in order to protect, mitigate, and enhance beneficial public uses and the environment around hydropower projects.  DHAC staff are responsible for tracking and administrating license and exemption requirements, inspecting site conditions, analyzing and processing amendment applications, investigating compliance issues, and assessing penalties if necessary.

Other administrative activities include:

Fisheries: 

Shoreline Management and Recreation:

Outreach Workshops:

DHAC has held outreach workshops in the past on topics such as noxious weeds, fish passage, drought management, recreation, and shoreline management.   As additional understanding of certain topics is needed to improve compliance with license conditions, more workshops may be held in the future.

Contact Information


This page was last updated on January 30, 2024