The World Bank ESMAP’s FY2025–2030 Business Plan, is focused on accelerating the global energy transition and achieving universal access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy by 2030. As part of ESMAP’s business plan, the Hydropower Development Facility (HDF) supports client countries globally by providing technical assistance, offering catalytic funding, and sharing global best practices for the development of diverse hydropower assets.
Hydropower builds energy security by leveraging synergies and complementarities across energy sources to ensure reliable supply and add redundancy – capabilities that become increasingly vital as demand grows and variable renewables expand in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Hydropower supplies electricity, balancing services, and energy storage that are fundamental for access to electricity and energy security. These capabilities can reduce a country’s vulnerability to disruptions in supply of electricity, and increase access to electricity, which can bring significant economic and social benefits. For these reasons, hydropower projects can serve as keystones for power systems, strengthening reliability, and resilience. Scaling investments in modernizing existing hydropower infrastructure is needed to secure continued access to electricity for future generations. As more than 20 percent of global hydropower infrastructure will be over 55 years old by 2040, this will require investments totaling about $300 billion in rehabilitation to modernize existing hydropower.i
The World Bank can help clients modernize hydropower through a combination of technical assistance, de-risking and financing. To facilitate this process, ESMAP seeks to develop guidance for different modernization and rehabilitation strategies for hydropower that will help extend the lifetime, and enhance flexibility and efficiency of existing assets.
Objective
ESMAP is developing the ‘Guidance Note – Modernization Strategies for Hydropower’ to support identification, preparation and implementation of projects. Its primary objective is to present a step-by-step approach for identifying, assessing, appraising, and implementing the optimal modernization strategy for existing hydropower and pumped storage hydropower plants. Moreover, the guidance note highlights the value of hydropower modernization and promotes good practices for rehabilitating to extend lifetime, upgrading to enhance performance and retrofitting to add new capabilities and services. In addition, the note will highlight solutions that go beyond technical considerations to include opportunities to improve environmental and social conditions in the vicinity of the hydropower plant.
Consultancy opportunity
ESMAP is seeking a qualified consultant to support development of this “Guidance Note - Modernization Strategies for Hydropower”. The assignment will help shape a practical step-by-step approach for identifying, assessing, appraising and implementing optimal modernization strategies for existing hydropower and pumped storage hydropower plants.
Full details can be found here.
Deadline for submission is 17 February 2026