A new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine urges the U.S. Department of Energy to link energy and water infrastructure research to better handle severe weather and other stresses.
The report, released May 19, 2026, was commissioned to guide a proposed Regional Energy–Water Technology Pilot program. It notes that the United States averaged 9 weather and climate disasters per year causing at least $1 billion in damage from 1980 through 2024, with the average rising to 23 in the most recent five years. The committee highlights how power plants rely on water for cooling while water systems need electricity for pumping and treatment. It cites Winter Storm Uri in February 2021 as an example where grid failures in Texas also disrupted water treatment for millions. Recommendations include creating regional pilot projects that test integrated solutions and plan for extreme events. The report stresses that without such coordination, cascading failures could threaten economic stability, public health, and national security. The proposed pilots fall under the DOE’s Hydropower and Hydrokinetic Office, renamed in early 2026. The report also notes that the NOAA billion-dollar disasters database was discontinued in May 2025.
