I did some quick napkin math on the net economic benefit, including carbon pollution and local economic benefit, of 3 scenarios:
1. Keep dam: -$2M to -$10M
2. Dam removal with 5 MW capacity replaced/absorbed by natural gas plants (no solar/wind/BESS): -$28.3M to -$249.8M, depending on whether you use the EPA's $190/tCO2 cost of damage or $1000/tCO2 DAC remediation.
3. Dam removal with 5 MW solar/wind/BESS replacement: -$3.5 to -$25M
In other words, removing the dam without equivalent solar/wind/BESS immediately in place is a net negative for society (and even then, keeping the dam might be neutral or still better).
1. Keep dam: -$2M to -$10M
2. Dam removal with 5 MW capacity replaced/absorbed by natural gas plants (no solar/wind/BESS): -$28.3M to -$249.8M, depending on whether you use the EPA's $190/tCO2 cost of damage or $1000/tCO2 DAC remediation.
3. Dam removal with 5 MW solar/wind/BESS replacement: -$3.5 to -$25M
In other words, removing the dam without equivalent solar/wind/BESS immediately in place is a net negative for society (and even then, keeping the dam might be neutral or still better).