From the Editor’s Desk |


Infrastructure at a crossroads


A


s we enter 2026, the global waterpower and infrastructure sector stands poised between policy reform, strategic planning and the practical realities of energy transition. The closing weeks of 2025 brought


legislative and planning developments across three key markets – the US, the UK and Australia – that will shape how dams, reservoirs and energy storage systems are delivered in the decade ahead. Each of these moves underscores the acute need for clarity in regulatory processes and the integration of energy and water infrastructure into broader clean-energy systems. In the US, the Standardizing Permitting and Expediting Economic Development Act (SPEED Act) passed the House of Representatives in mid-December, marking a significant attempt to overhaul the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The bill aims to modernise and streamline federal environmental reviews, clarifying procedural requirements, setting firm timelines and reducing duplicative analysis that has long contributed to project delays and litigation. Proponents in Congress and industry argue that this reform will provide more predictable and timely permitting for large infrastructure projects, including hydropower, transmission lines and other energy assets. However, the SPEED Act’s path ahead remains uncertain in the Senate, where differing views on eligibility for certain clean energy projects such as offshore wind have introduced political challenges. The House action reflects broader frustration


across sectors with protracted environmental reviews that, while protective in intent, have contributed to a permitting backlog affecting energy, water and transport infrastructure. For the hydropower sector in particular, permitting reform is not just a regulatory nicety: it is a foundational requirement if industry is to meet rising expectations for reliable, low-carbon baseload capacity alongside intermittent renewables. Across the Atlantic, the UK reached a legislative


milestone with the Planning and Infrastructure Act receiving Royal Assent on 18 December 2025. This Act introduces reforms aimed at reducing delays in planning decisions for nationally significant infrastructure, including reservoirs and clean energy projects. The government has emphasised that the reforms will accelerate delivery of essential infrastructure while maintaining environmental


Carrieann Stocks 4 | January 2026 | www.waterpowermagazine.com


protections, with provisions to streamline decision- making and reduce legal barriers to project approvals. Of particular importance to water infrastructure, the changes could unlock reservoir projects that have languished for decades under the weight of planning obstacles and judicial reviews. The UK reforms represent a strategic shift toward aligning planning law with national infrastructure priorities, especially in regions where water security and energy transitions are converging. Down under, the Australian Energy Market


Operator’s (AEMO) Draft 2026 Integrated System Plan (ISP) highlights another facet of infrastructure planning: the essential role of long-duration storage in the National Electricity Market. As coal generation retires and renewable energy penetration increases, AEMO’s draft roadmap identifies storage, particularly technologies that can deliver multi-hour or seasonal support, as a cornerstone of grid reliability. While the ISP’s modelling is in draft form and subject to consultation, its clear endorsement of substantial storage capacity, including pumped storage, positions this sector as integral to the future energy mix. From Australia’s perspective, the transition to a decarbonised grid cannot be achieved with generation alone. Long-duration storage will be pivotal in firming variable renewables and maintaining system security, offering new potential opportunities for hydro projects and other storage technologies. The emphasis on storage resonates with global trends toward greater flexibility and resilience in electricity systems. As we begin 2026, these stories share a common theme: infrastructure policy must evolve to meet the demands of the 21st-century energy and water landscape. Our sector stands at the crossroads of opportunity and execution. Delivering on the promise of resilient, clean and dependable infrastructure will depend on how effectively these regulatory and planning frameworks are translated into real-world, on-the-ground progress.


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