HYDROELECTRIC POWER GENERATION BASIC INFORMATION AND TUTORIALS

Hydroelectric power generation involves the storage of a hydraulic fluid, normally water, conversion of the hydraulic energy of the fluid into mechanical energy in a hydraulic turbine, and conversion of the mechanical energy to electrical energy in an electric generator.

The first hydroelectric power plants came into service in the 1880s and now comprise approximately 22% (660 GW) of the world’s installed generation capacity of 3000 GW (Electric Power Research Institute, 1999).

Hydroelectricity is an important source of renewable energy and provides significant flexibility in base loading, peaking, and energy storage applications.

While initial capital costs are high, the inherent simplicity of hydroelectric plants, coupled with their low operating and maintenance costs, long service life, and high reliability, make them a very cost effective and flexible source of electricity generation.

Especially valuable is their operating characteristic of fast response for start-up, loading, unloading, and following of system load variations. Other useful features include their ability to start without the availability of power system voltage (“black start capability”), ability to transfer rapidly from generation mode to synchronous condenser mode, and pumped storage application.

Hydroelectric units have been installed in capacities ranging from a few kilowatts to nearly 1 GW. Multi-unit plant sizes range from a few kilowatts to a maximum of 18 GW.

Planning of Hydroelectric Facilities

Siting

Hydroelectric plants are located in geographic areas where they will make economic use of hydraulic energy sources. Hydraulic energy is available wherever there is a flow of liquid and head. Head represents potential energy and is the vertical distance through which the fluid falls in the energy conversion process.

The majority of sites utilize the head developed by fresh water; however, other liquids such as salt water and treated sewage have been utilized. The siting of a prospective hydroelectric plant requires careful evaluation of technical, economic, environmental, and social factors.

A significant portion of the project cost may be required for mitigation of environmental effects on fish and wildlife and re location of infrastructure and population from flood plains.

Hydroelectric Plant Schemes

There are three main types of hydroelectric plant arrangements, classified according to the method of controlling the hydraulic flow at the site:

1. Run-of-the-river plants, having small amounts of water storage and thus little control of the flow through the plant.

2. Storage plants, having the ability to store water and thus control the flow through the plant on a daily or seasonal basis.

3. Pumped storage plants, in which the direction of rotation of the turbines is reversed during offpeak hours, pumping water from a lower reservoir to an upper reservoir, thus “storing energy” for later production of electricity during peak hours.