Smart Dams and Digital Twins in Hydropower
The hydropower sector is entering a digital era, as outlined in Dentons' October 2025 paper, "Smart Dams and Digital Twins: Re-imagining Water Infrastructure in the Age of AI."
This shift is driven by the need for increased efficiency and resilience, with smart dams leveraging AI-driven reservoir management and predictive maintenance via digital twins.
However, this modernization also raises new legal, contractual, and cyber-risk questions for operators, developers, and lenders.
The hydropower industry is entering a new phase of digitisation.
As assets age and operational pressures increase, owners and operators are adopting "smart dams" systems that combine conventional civil engineering with advanced data and control technologies.
Author's summary: Hydropower sector enters digital era with smart dams.