Low Impact Hydropower Institute and Hydropower Sustainability Alliance announce dual certification of Ma'an Hydropower Station
The Low Impact Hydropower Institute (LIHI) and the Hydropower Sustainability Alliance (HSA) are pleased to announce the successful dual certification of the Ma'an Hydropower Station in Taichung City. This milestone marks the completion of the first dual-reviewed pilot project.
The Ma’an Hydropower Station, a 133.5 MW facility operated by Taiwan Power Company (Taipower) on the Dajia River, has been recognised for meeting rigorous environmental, social, and sustainability standards under both organisations' certification frameworks. LIHI has approved the project for Low Impact Hydropower Certification (LIHI #207-I), while HSA has awarded the project Certified Silver status under the Hydropower Sustainability Standard.
“We’re excited for this collaborative effort,” said LIHI’s Executive Director Shannon Ames. “The only reason we’ve been able to do what we do for over two decades is because of our partnerships. Even though each organisation has its own special skillset, we have a shared vision for the future of hydropower, and we’re going to get there faster and more prepared if we go together.”
Focus on continuous improvement
The joint assessment, conducted between May and November 2025, evaluated the facility across comprehensive criteria including river flows, water quality, fish passage and protection, watershed protection, threatened and endangered species, cultural resources, recreation access, governance, environmental management, and stakeholder engagement.
The Ma’an project was assessed against LIHI’s comprehensive eight-criteria certification framework, covering river flows, water quality, fish passage, biodiversity, cultural resources and public benefits. As part of the assessment, year-round ecological flows were confirmed to support aquatic habitat along the bypassed section of the river, alongside active sediment management to protect downstream water quality. Multiple fish passage routes are also in place to support a range of species and life stages.
The assessment further confirmed safeguards for three protected fish species, and recognition of the cultural heritage of the Atayal Indigenous people through community engagement and support for traditional activities. Certification was granted with conditions, including ongoing consultation with regulators and technical experts to ensure river flows and fish passage measures continue to perform as intended, reflecting LIHI’s focus on continuous improvement.
“Sustainability certification schemes can complement each other”
“Collaborating with LIHI for the first time is an exciting step for us,” said Alain Kilajian, Deputy Executive Director of the Hydropower Sustainability Alliance. “We’ve known and respected one another's work for years, and this pilot has been a great opportunity to show how sustainability certification schemes can complement each other and advance shared goals.
“Ma’an achieving Silver certification shows how the Hydropower Sustainability Standard can be used in a sensitive river basin context to identify gaps, prioritise actions and strengthen performance.”
The HSS certification highlights various areas of high sustainability performance at Ma’an, including strong governance arrangements, ISO 14001-certified environmental management systems, safe dam operations, modern labour practices, and sustained benefits to local communities through mandated funding mechanisms, corporate social responsibility initiatives and improved local infrastructure.
At the same time, the assessment highlighted priority areas for improvement, including biodiversity impacts within the Dajia River valley, the effectiveness of fish conservation measures, and the need for a structured process to assess potential risks to Indigenous Atayal rights.
Taipower stated: “Achieving dual certification from HSS and LIHI marks a significant milestone in Taipower’s development journey. From an international perspective, this accomplishment fully recognises the company’s efforts and contributions around the Ma’an Hydropower Project in both environmental protection and social responsibility.”
Both LIHI and HSA are now seeking to conduct a second pilot project in the United States. Hydropower facilities interested in learning more about the programme or proposing projects for dual certification are encouraged to contact LIHI at info@lowimpacthydro.org or HSA at info@hs-alliance.org.
You can find out more on the Ma’an Hydropower Station’s HSS certification profile and LIHI certification profile.
