Smart Dams and Digital Twins: Managing Risk and Modernisation in Hydropower
According to Dentons' October 2025 paper, "Smart Dams and Digital Twins: Re-imagining Water Infrastructure in the Age of AI," the hydropower sector is entering a digital era.
The industry is adopting "smart dams" systems, which combine conventional civil engineering with advanced data and control technologies, boosting efficiency and resilience.
This shift raises new legal, contractual, and cyber-risk questions for operators, developers, and lenders, from AI-driven reservoir management to predictive maintenance via digital twins.
Smart dams are boosting efficiency and resilience.
The hydropower industry is moving towards a new phase of digitisation, driven by aging assets and increasing operational pressures.
Author's summary: Hydropower sector enters digital era with smart dams.