Small Hydropower Plants: ANSI Seeks Comments on Proposed New ISO Technical Committee

8/30/2021

Submit Feedback by October 8

As the U.S. member body to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) is seeking comments on a proposal for a new ISO technical committee on "Small Hydropower Plants."

About Small Hydropower Plants

According to the proposal, submitted by SAC, the ISO member for China, small hydropower (SHP) is well recognized as an important renewable energy solution to the challenge of increasing access to electricity in remote rural areas. However, while most countries in Europe, North and South America, China, and India have high degrees of installed capacity, the potential of SHP in many developing countries remains untapped and is hindered by a number of factors including the lack of best practices or standards for SHP development.

The proposal for a new ISO technical committee includes the following scope statement:

"Standardization in the field of site selection planning, design (i.e. pre-feasibility study and feasibility study), construction and management for small hydropower plants (SHP) development up to 30 megawatts (MW)."

Additionally, the proposal notes that standardization would cover:

professional technical terms and definitions commonly used for SHP plants;
technical requirements, methodology, and procedures relating to site selection planning of SHP plants;
technical requirements for the design (i.e. pre-feasibility study and feasibility study) of SHP plants, mainly including hydrology, geology, energy calculations, project layout, hydraulics, electromechanical equipment selection, construction planning, project cost estimates, economic appraisal, social and environmental assessments;
construction of SHP plants mainly including civil works, hydro mechanical structures, and installation of electromechanical equipment; and
project acceptance, renovation, operation, and maintenance of SHP plants.

Review the proposal for additional information and submit comments to Steven Cornish, ANSI senior director of international policy and strategy, [email protected], by close of business on October 8, 2021. Based on input received from U.S. stakeholders, a recommended ANSI position and any comments will be developed and presented at the ANSI ISO Committee (AIC) for approval before ISO's voting deadline of November 19, 2021.

ANSI has published an explanatory information document outlining the process used to develop U.S. positions in issues and activities under consideration by ISO and IEC.