| 75th Anniversary A changing industry


As IWP&DC commemorates its 75th anniversary, former Editor Sue Pritchard reflects on the evolution of both the magazine and the waterpower and dam industry. From the days of fax machines to the era of artificial intelligence and cybersecurity, she shares insights into the industry’s journey through the lens of a seasoned journalist. Alongside, former Acting Editor Patrick Reynolds delves into his personal and professional odyssey, highlighting the enduring allure and significance of hydropower in the global energy


landscape. Together, their narratives paint a vivid picture of an industry in constant flux, yet steadfast in its commitment to innovation and sustainability


Sue Pritchard, Former Editor and Current Contributing Editor


My editorship of IWP&DC sounds quite impressive as it spanned two centuries, from the 1990s to the early 2000s, and I’m proud to still be associated with the magazine as it celebrates its 75th anniversary issue. Upon reflection I realise that the waterpower and dam industry isn’t the only thing that has evolved, and often struggle to believe that this young journalist from 27 years ago has been married for decades with two grown up daughters! The way we’ve worked on the magazine has also transitioned through some remarkable advances. Fax machines, snail mail and trusty telephones were our main modes of communication when sourcing the first articles I dealt with. Then along came floppy discs and CD-ROMs before the advent of emails and the internet – where we’d all cram around one computer, marvelling at the multitude of information we could access after waiting patiently for that noisy modem to dial up. And now in the 21st century, articles within the pages of the magazine focus on artificial intelligence, the internet of things, remote controls, and problems such as cyber security.


‘Are you ready for Y2K?’ was one headline- grabbing article that sticks in my mind from 1999. The hydro industry was working hard to prepare for the possibility that the millennium bug could bring generators to a halt and cause dam safety concerns worldwide. Although industry members told us that nothing was being overlooked, many believed the severity of the apocalyptic picture that had been drawn was overexaggerated. In the end, after more than US$308 billion was spent globally dealing with the problem, the Y2K bug didn’t materialise on 1 January 2000, and this is how it’s hoped the current Y2Q problem will pan out. Here the integrity of algorithms which protect against potential cyber-attacks are under scrutiny, and could impact services and infrastructure if compromised. Stakeholder involvement and public acceptance were key buzz words when I started on the magazine. The anti-dam movement had gained great momentum and there were regular heated demonstrations against project development, with minimal communication between the different sides. I was struck by an engineer’s comment one day. He said his profession had quite a simplistic view of life and couldn’t understand why their projects weren’t always embraced by the public. All we want to do, he said, is help people and improve their lives with greater access to water and power. So I followed the development of the World Commission on Dams with much interest when it was launched in 1998. Pondering upon the release of the final report two years later, it was unclear if it would become a milestone or a millstone around the industry’s neck. Although there was much debate about the commission and its findings, with even a call for a moratorium on all large dams at one point, it did help to pave the way forward for the industry. With sustainable and equitable development at the forefront of its mind now, thanks to the efforts of organisations such as the International Hydropower Association, the industry has taken great strides towards improving education and


fostering more effective communication with all stakeholders. And I do believe the World Commission on Dams was instrumental in instigating such a mindset shift. As Ron Corso from the US Committee on


Large Dams told me in April1999: “If we sit back and assume people will get information on their own…there is a good chance that the public will not hear the whole story. We therefore need to be more proactive and provide people with a more balanced view of dams.” Although there have been great advances, one thing that strikes me about my time on the magazine is that many issues are still, unfortunately, newsworthy. For example in May 1999, when writing about the tailings dam failure at Spain’s Los Frailes mine, under the headline of ‘Failing Again’, I queried why so many incidents were still occurring worldwide. And 25 years later we’re asking the same question.


www.waterpowermagazine.com | May 2024 | 21


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