HYDROELECTRICITY POWER PLANT

Hydroelectricity is the term referring to electricitygenerated by hydropower;

the production of electrical power through the use of the gravitational force
of falling or flowing water. It is the most widely used form ofrenewable
energy, accounting for 16 percent of global electricity generation 3,!"
terawatt#hours of electricity production in !$1$,%1& and is e'pected to
increase about 3.1( each year for the ne't !) years.
Hydropower is produced in 1)$ countries, with the *sia#+acific region
generating 3! percent of global hydropower in !$1$. ,hina is the largest
hydroelectricity producer, with "!1 terawatt#hours of production in !$1$,
representing around 1" percent of domestic electricity use. -here are now
three hydroelectricity plants larger than 1$ ./0 the -hree .orges 1am in
,hina, Itaipu 1amacross the 2ra3il4+araguay border, and .uri 1am in
5ene3uela.
-he cost of hydroelectricity is relatively low, ma6ing it a competitive source
of renewable electricity. -he average cost of electricity from a hydro plant
larger than 1$ megawatts is 3 to ) 7.8. cents per 6ilowatt#hour.%1& It is also
a fle'ible source of electricity since the amount produced by the plant can
be changed up or down very 9uic6ly to adapt to changing energy demands.
However, damming interrupts the flow of rivers and can harm local
ecosystems, and building large dams and reservoirs often involves
displacing people and wildlife.%1& :nce a hydroelectric comple' is
constructed, the pro;ect produces no direct waste, and has a considerably
lower output level of the greenhouse gas carbon dio'ide <,:
!= than fossil fuel powered energy plants.%!&
Hydroelectric Power
Hydroelectric power is electricity generated by hydropower. Hydropower is
harnessed through the gravitational force of falling or flowing water. :n a
worldwide standpoint, it is the most widely used form of renewable energy,
supplying !>>? -/h of hydroelectricity in !$$6 and even mor today.
Hydropower has been used for centuries by humans. -he electricity is
typically created when the water is passed over large mechanical turbines,
the water pressure forces the turbines to turn, the mechanical energy
created is then converted into electricity.
Advantages of Hydroelectricity
Hydroelectricity does not @use@ water, all of the
water is returned to its source of origin.
Hydroelectric power can be created !4"
indefinitely assuming that the body of water it is
utili3ing never runs dry. It is also another absolutely clean source of energy.
-he power plants, once in place, do not create any waste byproducts in
their conversion. 1ams constructed can also shut their gates and conserve
the water for use when power is in higher demand.
Disadvantages of Hydroelectricity
Ai6e all power plants, hydroelectric plants are very e'pensive to build, and
must be built to a very high standard. -he high cost means that plants must
operate for a long time to become profitable. -he creation of dams can also
create flooding of land, which means natural envrionment and the natural
habitat of animals, and even people, may be destroyed.
-he building of dams for hydroelectric power can also cause a lot of water
access problems. -he creation of a dam in one location may mean that
those down river no longer have control of water flow. -his can create
controversy in places where neighboring countries share a water supply.
How electricity is generated tro!g ydro"ower
* hydroelectric power station converts the 6inetic, or movement, energy in
flowing or falling water into electrical energy that can be used in homes and
businesses. Hydroelectric power can be generated on a small scale with a
Brun#of#riverC installation, which uses naturally flowing river water to turn one
or more turbines, or on a large scale with a hydroelectric dam.
* hydroelectric dam straddles a river, bloc6ing the waterCs progress
downstream. /ater collects on the upstream side of the dam, forming an
artificial la6e 6nown as a reservoir <1=. 1amming the river converts the
waterCs 6inetic energy into potential energy0 the reservoir becomes a sort of
battery, storing energy that can be released a little at a time. *s well as
being a source of energy, some reservoirs are used as boating la6es or
drin6ing water supplies.
-he reservoirCs potential energy is converted bac6 into 6inetic energy by
opening underwater gates, or inta6es <!=, in the dam. /hen an inta6e
opens, the immense weight of the reservoir forces water through a channel
called the penstoc6 <3= towards a turbine. -he water rushes past the
turbine, hitting its blades and causing it to spin, converting some of the
waterCs 6inetic energy into mechanical energy. -he water then finally flows
out of the dam and continues its ;ourney downstream.
* shaft connects the turbine to a generator <=, so when the turbine spins,
so does the generator. -he generator uses an electromagnetic field to
convert this mechanical energy into electrical energy.
*s long as there is plenty of water in the reservoir, a hydroelectric dam can
respond 9uic6ly to changes in demand for electricity. :pening and closing
the inta6es directly controls the amount of water flowing through the
penstoc6, which determines the amount of electricity the dam is generating.
-he turbine and generator are located in the damCs power house <)=, which
also houses a transformer. -he transformer converts the electrical energy
from the generator to a high voltage. -he national grid uses high voltages
to transmit electricity efficiently through the power lines <6= to the homes
and businesses that need it <"=. Here, other transformers reduce the
voltage bac6 down to a usable level.