Hydroelectricity, or hydroelectric power, is electricity generated from hydropower. Hydropower supplies one sixth of the world's electricity, almost 4,500 TWh in 2020, which is more than all other renewable sources combined and also more than nuclear power. Hydropower can provide large amounts of low-carbon electricity on demand, making it a key element for creating secure and clean electricity supply systems. A hydroelectric power station that has a dam and reservoir is a flexible source, since the amount of electricity produced can be increased or decreased in seconds or minutes in response to varying electricity demand. Once a hydroelectric complex is constructed, it produces no direct waste, and almost always emits considerably less greenhouse gas than fossil fuel-powered energy plants. However, when constructed in lowland rainforest areas, where part of the forest is inundated, substantial amounts of greenhouse gases may be emitted.
The Robert Moses Niagara Hydroelectric Power Station is a hydroelectric power station in Lewiston, New York, near Niagara Falls. Owned and operated by the New York Power Authority (NYPA), the plant diverts water from the Niagara River above Niagara Falls and returns the water into the lower portion of the river near Lake Ontario. It uses 13 generators at an installed capacity of 2,525 MW (3,386,000 hp).
Kaligandaki A Hydroelectric Power Station is situated near Mirmi of Syangja District about 300 km to the west of Kathmandu and 100 km from Pokhara in the same direction in Nepal. The hydropower project is also the biggest hydropower project of Nepal. The dam and headworks are situated on the Gandaki River at the confluence of the Andhikhola whereas the power house is located downstream, around a bend in the river, in Beltari. A 5.9 km (3.7 mi) long headrace tunnel connects the reservoir to the power station which contains three 48 MW Francis turbine-generators. Owner and operator of the power plant is Nepal Electricity Authority.
The Rama Dam is a concrete-face rock-fill dam on the Rama river, a tributary of the Neretva river, about 4 km (2.5 mi) southwest of the town of Prozor in the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The Kamburu Hydroelectric Power Station, also Kamburu Dam is a rock-filled embankment dam on the Tana River in Kenya which straddles the border of Embu and Machakos Counties in Eastern Province. The primary purpose of the dam is hydroelectric power generation and it supports a 93 MW power station. Construction on the dam began in 1971 and it was completed in 1975, with the power station getting commissioned the same year. US$23 million of the US$47 million project cost was provided by the World Bank. The power station is operated by the Kenya Electricity Generating Company and is part of the Seven Forks Scheme.
The Kiambere Hydroelectric Power Station is an earth-filled embankment dam on the Tana River near Kiambere, Kenya. It straddles the border of Embu and Kitui Counties in the former Eastern Province. The primary purpose of the dam is hydroelectric power generation and it supports a 165 MW power station. Construction on the dam began in 1983 and it was completed in 1987. The power station was commissioned in 1988. Beginning in 2008 both turbine-generators were upgraded from 72 MW to 82.5 MW. They were commissioned in 2009. US$95 million in funding for the original project was provided by the World Bank. The power station is operated by the Kenya Electricity Generating Company and is part of the Seven Forks Scheme.
The Turkwel Hydroelectric Power Station, also Turkwel Dam, is an arch dam on the Turkwel River about 76 km (47 mi) north of Kapenguria in West Pokot County, Kenya. The dam serves several purposes, including hydroelectric power production, irrigation, tourism and fisheries. It was constructed between 1986 and 1991. It supports the third largest hydroelectric power plant in the country, having an installed electric capacity of 106 megawatts (142,000 hp).
Tala Hydroelectric Power Station is a run-of-the-river type hydroelectric power station on the Wangchu River in Chukha District, Bhutan. The station consists of a 92-metre (302 ft) tall gravity dam which diverts water through a 22 km (14 mi) long headrace tunnel to the power station which contains six 170 MW Pelton turbine-generators. The difference in elevation between the dam and the power station affords the project a hydraulic head of 860 m (2,822 ft).
Stave Falls Dam is a dual-dam power complex on the Stave River in Stave Falls, British Columbia, Canada. The dam was completed in 1912 for the primary purpose of hydroelectric power production. To increase the capacity of Stave Lake, the dam was raised in 1925 and the Blind Slough Dam constructed in an adjacent watercourse 500 m (1,600 ft) to the north, which was the site of the eponymous Stave Falls. In 2000, the dam's powerhouse was replaced after a four-year upgrade. The original Stave Falls powerhouse was once British Columbia's largest hydroelectric power source, and is a National Historic Site of Canada.
The Dniester Pumped Storage Power Station is a pumped storage hydroelectric scheme that uses the Dniester River 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) northeast of Sokyriany in Chernivtsi Oblast, Ukraine. Currently, four of seven 324-megawatt (434,000 hp) generators are operational and when complete in 2028, the power station will have an installed capacity of 2,268 megawatts (3,041,000 hp).
The Okutadami Dam (奥只見ダム) is a concrete gravity dam on the Tadami River, 26 km (16 mi) east of Uonuma on the border of Niigata and Fukushima Prefectures, Japan. The primary purpose of the dam is hydroelectric power generation and it supports a 560 MW power station which is the largest conventional hydroelectric power station in Japan. The dam also forms the second largest reservoir in Japan, next to that of the Tokuyama Dam.
The Neelum–Jhelum Hydropower Plant is part of a run-of-the-river hydroelectric power project in Azad Kashmir (AJK) designed to divert water from the Neelum River to a power station on the Jhelum River. The power station is located 42 km (26 mi) south of Muzaffarabad, and has an installed capacity of 969 MW. Construction on the project began in 2008 after a Chinese consortium was awarded the construction contract in July 2007. After many years of delays, the first generator was commissioned in April 2018 and the entire project was completed in August 2018 when the fourth and last unit was synchronized with the national grid on 13 August and attained its maximum generation capacity of 969 MW on 14 August 2018. It will generate 5,150 GWh per year at the levelised tariff of Rs 13.50 per unit for 30 years.
The Duber Khwar Hydropower Plant is located near the town of Pattan in Kohistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan on the Duber Khwar River, a right bank tributary of the Indus River. It is approximately 340 km NW from Islamabad, the federal capital of Pakistan.
The Nadarivatu Dam, also known as the Korolevu Dam, is a concrete gravity dam on the upper reaches of the Sigatoka River in Nadarivatu District of Nadroga-Navosa Province, Fiji. The primary purpose of the dam is to generate hydroelectric power in a 41.7 megawatts (55,900 hp) run-of-the-river scheme. The Nadarivatu Hydropower Scheme was first identified in 1977 during a hydropower study. Detailed plans for the project were developed in 2002 and major construction began in 2009. The power station was commissioned on 7 September 2012 but an inauguration ceremony led by Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama was held a week later on 14 September. Funding and loans for the project was provided by several organizations to include the China Development Bank, Fiji Electricity Authority bonds, ADZ Bank. The 40 m (130 ft) tall dam diverts water from the Sigatoka River through a 3,225 metres (10,581 ft) long headrace/penstock tunnel to a power station along the Ba River to the southwest. The power station contains two 20.85 megawatts (27,960 hp) Pelton turbine-generators. The drop in elevation between the reservoir and the power station affords a gross hydraulic head of 335.7 metres (1,101 ft).
The Afulilo Dam is a gravity dam on the Afulilo River about 3 km (1.9 mi) south of Ta'elefaga in the district of Va'a-o-Fonoti on Upolu island of Samoa. The primary purpose of the dam is hydroelectric power generation and it supports a 4 megawatts (5,400 hp) power station. It is the largest hydroelectric power station by installed capacity in Samoa. First studied in 1980, construction on the project began in 1990 and the power station was commissioned in 1993. Funding for the US$26.6 million project was provided by the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, International Development Association, European Investment Bank, and European Economic Community loans and grants.
The Lubuge Dam is a rock-fill embankment dam on the Huangni River, a tributary of the Nanpan River, located near Lubugexiang in Luoping County on the border of Guizhou and Yunnan Provinces, China. The primary purpose of the dam is hydroelectric power generation and it supports a 600 MW power station. Construction on the project began in 1982 and it was completed in 1991. Funded by the World Bank, it was the first loan offered by the bank to China's power sector.
Daraundi A Hydropower Station is a 6 MW run-of-river hydro-electric plant located on the Daraundi River in the Gorkha District of Nepal.
Daram Khola-A Hydropower Station is a run-of-the-river hydroelectricity plant located in Baglung District of Nepal. The flow from Daram River is used to generate 2.5 MW electricity.
Kabeli B1 Hydropower Station is a 25 MW run-of-river hydro-electric plant located in Panchthar District of Nepal. The promoter and operator, with a 20% share, is Arun Kabeli Power Limited (AKPL), a subsidiary of Arun Valley Group.
Rudi A Hydropower Station is a run-of-river hydro-electric plant located in the Kaski District of Nepal that came into operation in 2019. The flow from the Rudi River is used to generate 8.8 MW electricity.
