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Energy is Good for Texas
Hydro
While only a small contributor to Texas’ energy portfolio, hydropower plays an important role. Hydropower is a rechargeable and endless cycle of generation in which water flows through turbines to create energy. Hydropower uses existing water supplies like lakes and reservoirs and costs relatively little to produce.
Texas Hydropower
The 26 hydropower plants in Texas have a maximum combined capacity of up to 481 million megawatt-hours (MWh).
The state’s hydropower plants serve almost 3 million Texans.
During times of energy crises, hydropower plants can direct their generated energy to areas of need, such as those experiencing outages or rolling blackouts.
Hydroelectric Power Energy in Texas
Traditional Hydroelectric Power Generation Jobs, 2022
2,098
Average Annual Wage for Hydroelectric Power Generation Jobs, 2022
NEARLY
$172,000
Gross Domestic Product, 2021
$700 million
Hydropower Plants in Texas, 2023
View Map Details
| Dam Name | Owner | Capacity (Megawatt-hour) | City |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abbott TP 3 | Guadalupe Blanco River Authority | 2.8 | McQueeny, TX |
| Amistad Dam & Power | International Boundary and Water Commission | 66 | Del Rio, TX |
| Arlington Outlet Hydroelectric Generator | Tarrant Regional Water District | 1.3 | Fort Worth, TX |
| Buchanan Dam | Lower Colorado River Authority | 54.9 | Burnet, TX |
| Canyon | Guadalupe Blanco River Authority | 6 | Sattler, TX |
| Denison | USCE-Tulsa District | 104.3 | Denison, TX |
| Dunlap TP 1 | Guadalupe Blanco River Authority | 3.6 | New Braunfels, TX |
| Eagle Pass Hydro | Maverick City Water Control and Improvement | 9.6 | Eagle Pass, TX |
| Falcon Dam & Power | International Boundary and Water Commission | 31.5 | New Falcon, TX |
| Gonzales Hydro Plant | City of Gonzales | 0.9 | Gonzales, TX |
| H4 | Guadalupe Blanco River Authority | 2.4 | Gonzales County |
| H5 | Guadalupe Blanco River Authority | 2.4 | Gonzales County |
| Inks Dam | Lower Colorado River Authority | 15 | Burnet, TX |
| Lake Livingston | East Texas Electric Cooperative | 26.7 | Livingston, TX |
| Lewisville Lake Dam | City of Garland | 2.8 | Lewisville, TX |
| Mansfield Dam (Marshall Ford) | Lower Colorado River Authority | 108 | Austin, TX |
| Nolte | Guadalupe Blanco River Authority | 2.4 | Seguin, TX |
| Robert D Willis | USCE-Fort Worth District | 8 | Woodville, TX |
| Saffold Dam (Seguin) | City of Seguin | 0.25 | Seguin, TX |
| Sam Rayburn | USCE-Fort Worth District | 52 | Jasper, TX |
| Starcke Dam (Marble Falls) | Lower Colorado River Authority | 39.6 | Marble Falls, TX |
| Toledo Bend | Entergy Texas | 81 | Burkeville, TX |
| Tom Miller Dam (Austin) | Lower Colorado River Authority | 18 | Austin, TX |
| TP4 | Guadalupe Blanco River Authority | 2.4 | Seguin, TX |
| Whitney | USCE-Fort Worth District | 41.8 | Whitney, TX |
| Wirtz Dam (Granite Shoals) | Lower Colorado River Authority | 54 | Horseshoe Bay, TX |
Outlook
Federal funding from the United States Department of Energy has significantly benefitted hydropower in Texas. In 2017, the Whitney Dam, located in central Texas, received $2 million in federal funding to rehabilitate and upgrade its facility. The most recently constructed hydropower plant in Texas, the R.C. Thomas Hydroelectric Project, opened in 2020.
While hydropower has a positive impact on Texas’ energy portfolio, the future of hydropower is ultimately dependent on the success of Texas’ existing and future water supply.
This is one in a series of reports the Comptroller has prepared on energy in Texas.
See more information on energy Issues and the Texas economy.
Questions?
If you have any questions or concerns regarding the material on this page, please contact the Comptroller’s Data Analysis and Transparency Division.