(Washington, D.C.) American Municipal Power, Inc. (AMP) President & CEO Marc Gerken testified before a Congressional Subcommittee this morning on the benefits of and challenges to AMP’s efforts to create a diversified generation portfolio. Gerken was invited to testify at the Committee on Energy and Commerce, Subcommittee on Energy and Power by the Committee Chair Congressman Ed Whitfield (KY-1). The hearing was titled “American Energy Security and Innovation: The Role of a Diverse Electricity Generation Portfolio.”

Gerken’s testimony focused primarily on AMP’s experience in developing new run-of-the-river hydroelectric generation at non-powered dams on the Ohio River. AMP currently has four projects under construction at existing dams, the largest deployment of new run-of-the-river generation in the nation. AMP’s projects are bringing more than 300 megawatts of new, renewable generation to the region as well as creating substantial jobs and economic development. AMP has embraced a diverse resource portfolio with a balanced approach to fossil and renewable technologies.

In his testimony, Gerken stressed the importance of diversity to the nation’s energy security and presented an overview of AMP’s balanced approach to power supply planning and the organization’s experience in siting various generation technologies.

“Hydropower plays an important role in AMP’s efforts,” Gerken said. “We are encouraged by the increasing recognition by policymakers of the untapped potential for new and enhanced hydropower development in the United States. To facilitate development and to ensure that new resources of all types can be economically and timely brought on line, it’s important that the regulatory process be streamlined to eliminate redundancies and provide developers and investors with added certainty.”

Read the complete transcript of Gerken’s testimony

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