Hydroelectricity is a form of hydropower, and is the most widely used form of renewable energy. Hydropower, hydraulic power or water power is power that is derived from the Force or Energy of moving water which may Renewable energy is Energy generated from Natural resources mdashsuch as Sunlight, Wind, Rain, tides and geothermal It produces no waste, and does not produce carbon dioxide (CO₂) which contributes to greenhouse gases. Carbon dioxide ( Chemical formula:) is a Chemical compound composed of two Oxygen Atoms covalently bonded to a single Greenhouse gases are gaseous constituents of the atmosphere bothnatural and anthropogenic that absorb and emit radiation at specific wavelengths within the spectrum of thermal infrared Hydroelectricity now supplies about 715,000 MWe or 19% of world electricity (16% in 2003), accounting for over 63% of the total electricity from renewables in 2005. The watt (symbol W) is the SI derived unit of power, equal to one Joule of energy per Second. ^[1]

Although large hydroelectric installations generate most of the world's hydroelectricity, small hydro schemes are particularly popular in China, which has over 50% of world small hydro capacity. Small hydro is the development of Hydroelectric power on a scale serving a small community or industrial plant Talk People's Republic of China) PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES ^[1] Some jurisdictions do not consider large hydro projects to be a sustainable energy source due to human and environmental impacts, though this judgment depends on the definition of sustainability used. In Physics and other Sciences energy (from the Greek grc ἐνέργεια - Energeia, "activity operation" from grc ἐνεργός Environmental degradation is the deterioration of the environment through depletion of resources such as Air, Water and Soil; the destruction Sustainability, in a general sense is the capacity to maintain a certain process or state indefinitely ^[2]

Renewable energy
Biofuels Biomass Geothermal Hydro power Solar power Tidal power Wave power Wind power

Electricity generation

Hydraulic turbine and electrical generator. Renewable energy is Energy generated from Natural resources mdashsuch as Sunlight, Wind, Rain, tides and geothermal Biomass refers to living and recently dead Biological material that can be used as fuel or for industrial production Geothermal power (from the Greek roots geo, meaning earth and therme, meaning heat is energy generated by heat stored in the earth or the collection Solar energy is the Light and radiant heat from the Sun that powers Earth 's Climate and Weather and sustains Life Tidal power, sometimes called tidal energy, is a form of Hydropower that converts the energy of Tides into electricity or other useful forms of power Wave power refers to the Energy of Ocean surface waves and the capture of that energy to do useful work — including Electricity generation, Wind Power is the conversion of wind energy into a useful form such as electricity using Wind turbines At the end of 2007 worldwide capacity of wind-powered generators was A water turbine is a rotary Engine that takes energy from moving water In Electricity generation, an electrical generator is a device that converts Mechanical energy to Electrical energy, generally using Electromagnetic

Hydroelectric dam in cross section

Main article: Electricity generation

Most hydroelectric power comes from the potential energy of dammed water driving a water turbine and generator. Electricity generation is the process of converting non-electrical Energy to Electricity. Potential energy can be thought of as Energy stored within a physical system A dam is a barrier that divides waters. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water while other structures such as Floodgates, Levees In Electricity generation, an electrical generator is a device that converts Mechanical energy to Electrical energy, generally using Electromagnetic In this case the energy extracted from the water depends on the volume and on the difference in height between the source and the water's outflow. This height difference is called the head. Hydraulic head is a specific measurement of water pressure or Total energy per Unit weight above a Geodetic datum. The amount of potential energy in water is proportional to the head. Potential energy can be thought of as Energy stored within a physical system To obtain very high head, water for a hydraulic turbine may be run through a large pipe called a penstock. A penstock is a Sluice or gate or intake structure that controls water flow or an enclosed pipe that delivers water to Hydraulic turbines and

Pumped storage hydroelectricity produces electricity to supply high peak demands by moving water between reservoirs at different elevations. Hydro-storage redirects here For storage of water for other purposes see Reservoir. A reservoir is most broadly a place or hollow vessel where Fluid is kept in Reserve, for later use At times of low electrical demand, excess generation capacity is used to pump water into the higher reservoir. When there is higher demand, water is released back into the lower reservoir through a turbine. Pumped storage schemes currently provide the only commercially important means of large-scale grid energy storage and improve the daily load factor of the generation system. Grid energy storage is used to manage the flow of electrical energy Hydroelectric plants with no reservoir capacity are called run-of-the-river plants, since it is not then possible to store water. Run-of-the-river hydroelectricity is a type of hydroelectric generation whereby the natural flow and elevation drop of a river are used to generate electricity A tidal power plant makes use of the daily rise and fall of water due to tides; such sources are highly predictable, and if conditions permit construction of reservoirs, can also be dispatchable to generate power during high demand periods. Tidal power, sometimes called tidal energy, is a form of Hydropower that converts the energy of Tides into electricity or other useful forms of power

Less common types of hydro schemes use water's kinetic energy or undammed sources such as undershot waterwheels. The kinetic energy of an object is the extra Energy which it possesses due to its motion A water wheel is a means of extracting power from the flow (or fall of water otherwise known as Hydropower.

A simple formula for approximating electric power production at a hydroelectric plant is: P = hrk, where P is Power in watts, h is height in meters, r is flow rate in cubic meters per second, and k is a conversion factor of 7500 watts (assuming an efficiency factor of about 76. 5 percent and acceleration due to gravity of 9. Gravitation is a natural Phenomenon by which objects with Mass attract one another 81 m/s², and fresh water with a density of 1000 kg per cubic metre. Efficiency is often higher with larger modern turbines and may be lower with very old or small installations due to proportionately higher friction losses).

Annual electric energy production depends on the available water supply. In some installations the water flow rate can vary by a factor of 10:1 over the course of a year.

Industrial hydroelectric plants

While many hydroelectric projects supply public electricity networks, some are created to serve specific industrial enterprises. For other uses of this term see Industry (disambiguation An industry (from Latin industrius, "diligent industrious" Dedicated hydroelectric projects are often built to provide the substantial amounts of electricity needed for aluminium electrolytic plants, for example. WikipediaNaming In the Scottish Highlands there are examples at Kinlochleven and Lochaber, constructed during the early years of the 20th century. The Scottish Highlands ( Scottish Gaelic: A' Ghàidhealtachd, Scots: Hielans) include the rugged and Mountainous Kinlochleven ( Ceann Loch Lìobhann in Gaelic) is a village in Lochaber, Highland, Scotland and lies at the eastern end of Loch District of Lochaber In Suriname, the Brokopondo Reservoir was constructed to provide electricity for the Alcoa aluminium industry. Suriname ( Dutch: Suriname; Sranan Tongo: Sranan) officially the Republic of Suriname (traditionally spelled Surinam by The Brokopondo Reservoir also known by its alternate Dutch names Prof Alcoa Inc ( is the world's third largest producer of Aluminum, behind Rio Tinto Alcan and Rusal. New Zealand's Manapouri Power Station was constructed to supply electricity to the aluminium smelter at Tiwai Point. New Zealand is an Island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island Manapouri Power Station is an underground hydroelectric power station owned and operated by Meridian Energy Limited, and is the largest hydroelectric power station WikipediaNaming Chemical reduction, or smelting, is a form of Extractive metallurgy. Rio Tinto Aluminium (Formerly known as Comalco is now known as Rio Tinto Alcan after Rio's take over of Alcan. As of 2007 the Kárahnjúkar Hydropower Project in Iceland remains controversial. The Kárahnjúkar Hydropower Project, located at, involves Damming two rivers in eastern Iceland —the Jökulsá í Fljótsdal source to the famous "Milky Lake" Iceland, officially the Republic of Iceland ( ( Ísland or Lýðveldið Ísland ( ^[3]

Small-scale hydro-electric plants

Main article: Small hydro

Small hydro plants are those producing up to 10 megawatts, although projects up to 30 megawatts in North America are considered small hydro and have the same regulations. Small hydro is the development of Hydroelectric power on a scale serving a small community or industrial plant A small hydro plant may be connected to a distribution grid or may provide power only to an isolated community or a single home. Small hydro projects generally do not require the protracted economic, engineering and environmental studies associated with large projects, and often can be completed much more quickly. A small hydro development may be installed along with a project for flood control, irrigation or other purposes, providing extra revenue for project costs. In areas that formerly used waterwheels for milling and other purposes, often the site can be redeveloped for electric power production, possibly eliminating the new environmental impact of any demolition operation. Small hydro can be further divided into mini-hydro, units around 1 MW in size, and micro hydro with units as large as 100 kW down to a couple of kW rating. Micro Hydro is a term used for Hydroelectric power installations that typically produce up to 100 kW of power

Small hydro units in the range 1 MW to about 30 MW are often available from multiple manufacturers using standardized "water to wire" packages; a single contractor can provide all the major mechanical and electrical equipment (turbine, generator, controls, switchgear), selecting from several standard designs to fit the site conditions. Micro hydro projects use a diverse range of equipment; in the smaller sizes industrial centrifugal pumps can be used as turbines, with comparatively low purchase cost compared to purpose-built turbines.

Advantages

The upper reservoir and dam of the Ffestiniog pumped storage scheme. Ffestiniog power station is a 360MW pumped storage hydroelectric scheme near Ffestiniog, in Gwynedd, north-west Wales. 360 megawatts of electricity can be generated within 60 seconds of the need arising.

Economics

The major advantage of hydroelectricity is elimination of the cost of fuel. The cost of operating a hydroelectric plant is nearly immune to increases in the cost of fossil fuels such as oil, natural gas or coal. Fossil fuels or mineral fuels are fossil source Fuels that is Hydrocarbons found within the top layer of the Earth’s crust. Petroleum ( L petroleum, from Greek πετρέλαιον, lit Natural gas is a Gaseous Fossil fuel consisting primarily of Methane but including significant quantities of Ethane, Propane, Fuel is not required and so it need not be imported. Hydroelectric plants tend to have longer economic lives than fuel-fired generation, with some plants now in service having been built 50 to 100 years ago. ^[4] Operating labor cost is usually low since plants are automated and have few personnel on site during normal operation.

Where a dam serves multiple purposes, a hydroelectric plant may be added with relatively low construction cost, providing a useful revenue stream to offset the costs of dam operation. It has been calculated that the sale of electricity from the Three Gorges Dam will cover the construction costs after 5 to 8 years of full generation. Zh-yue三峽大壩 The Three Gorges Dam ( is a hydroelectric River Dam that spans the Yangtze River in Sandouping, ^[5]

Greenhouse gas emissions

Since hydroelectric dams do not burn fossil fuels, they do not directly produce carbon dioxide (a greenhouse gas). Carbon dioxide ( Chemical formula:) is a Chemical compound composed of two Oxygen Atoms covalently bonded to a single While some carbon dioxide is produced during manufacture and construction of the project, this is a tiny fraction of the operating emissions of equivalent fossil-fuel electricity generation.

Related activities

Reservoirs created by hydroelectric schemes often provide facilities for water sports, and become tourist attractions in themselves. In some countries, farming fish in the reservoirs is common. Multi-use dams installed for irrigation can support the fish farm with relatively constant water supply. Irrigation is an artificial application of water to the soil usually for assisting in growing crops Large hydro dams can control floods, which would otherwise affect people living downstream of the project. When dams create large reservoirs and eliminate rapids, boats may be used to improve transportation.

Disadvantages

Recreational users must exercise extreme care when near hydroelectric dams, power plant intakes and spillways. A spillway is a structure used to provide for the controlled release of flows from a Dam or Levee into a downstream area typically being the river that was dammed ^[6]

Environmental damage

Hydroelectric projects can be disruptive to surrounding aquatic ecosystems both upstream and downstream of the plant site. An ecosystem is a natural unit consisting of all plants animals and micro-organisms( Biotic factors in an area functioning together with all of the non-living physical ( For instance, studies have shown that dams along the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of North America have reduced salmon populations by preventing access to spawning grounds upstream, even though most dams in salmon habitat have fish ladders installed. The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth 's Oceanic divisions Salmon is the common name for several species of Fish of the family Salmonidae. Spawning is the production or depositing of large quantities of eggs in water Fishways, most commonly called fish ladders but also known as fish passes and in Australia also referred to as fish steps, are structures on or around artificial Salmon spawn are also harmed on their migration to sea when they must pass through turbines. Spawning is the production or depositing of large quantities of eggs in water A water turbine is a rotary Engine that takes energy from moving water This has led to some areas transporting smolt downstream by barge during parts of the year. BARGE, the Big August RecGambling Excursion is a yearly convention held in Las Vegas during the first weekend of August In some cases dams have been demolished (for example the Marmot Dam demolished in 2007 ^[7]. The Bull Run Hydroelectric Project is a Portland General Electric (PGE development in the Sandy River basin in the U ), because of impact on fish. Turbine and power-plant designs that are easier on aquatic life are an active area of research. Mitigation measures such as fish ladders may be required at new projects or as a condition of re-licensing of existing projects.

Generation of hydroelectric power changes the downstream river environment. Water exiting a turbine usually contains very little suspended sediment, which can lead to scouring of river beds and loss of riverbanks. Since turbine gates are often opened intermittently, rapid or even daily fluctuations in river flow are observed. For example, in the Grand Canyon, the daily cyclic flow variation caused by Glen Canyon Dam was found to be contributing to erosion of sand bars. The Grand Canyon Glen Canyon Dam is a Dam on the Colorado River at Page Arizona, USA operated by the United States Bureau of Reclamation. Dissolved oxygen content of the water may change from pre-construction conditions. Oxygen (from the Greek roots ὀξύς (oxys (acid literally "sharp" from the taste of acids and -γενής (-genēs (producer literally begetteris the Depending on the location, water exiting from turbines is typically much warmer than the pre-dam water, which can change aquatic faunal populations, including endangered species, and prevent natural freezing processes from occurring. An endangered species is a population of an organism which is at risk of becoming Extinct because it is either few in numbers or threatened by changing environmental or predation Some hydroelectric projects also use canals to divert a river at a shallower gradient to increase the head of the scheme. Canals are artificial channels for water There are two types of canals water conveyance canals which are used for the conveyance and delivery of water and Waterways In some cases, the entire river may be diverted leaving a dry riverbed. Examples include the Tekapo and Pukaki Rivers. The Tekapo River flows through the Mackenzie Basin, Canterbury, in New Zealand 's South Island. The Pukaki River flows through the Mackenzie Basin, Canterbury, in New Zealand 's South Island.

A further concern is the impact of major schemes on birds. Birds ( class Aves) are bipedal endothermic ( Warm-blooded) Vertebrate animals that lay eggs. Since damming and redirecting the waters of the Platte River in Nebraska for agricultural and energy use, many native and migratory birds such as the Piping Plover and Sandhill Crane have become increasingly endangered. The Platte River is an approximately 310 mi (499 km long river in the Western United States.

Greenhouse gas emissions

Bonnington hydroelectric power station, River Clyde, Scotland. The River Clyde ( Gaelic: Abhainn Chluaidh, avɪɲˈxɫ̪uəj is a major River in Scotland.

The pipes supplying water from the River Clyde to Bonnington hydroelectric power station, Scotland. The River Clyde ( Gaelic: Abhainn Chluaidh, avɪɲˈxɫ̪uəj is a major River in Scotland.

The reservoirs of power plants in tropical regions may produce substantial amounts of methane and carbon dioxide. Methane is a Chemical compound with the molecular formula. It is the simplest Alkane, and the principal component of Natural gas. Carbon dioxide ( Chemical formula:) is a Chemical compound composed of two Oxygen Atoms covalently bonded to a single This is due to plant material in flooded areas decaying in an anaerobic environment, and forming methane, a very potent greenhouse gas. For other uses of the term "hypoxia" see Hypoxia. Hypoxia or oxygen depletion is a phenomenon that occurs in aquatic environments Greenhouse gases are gaseous constituents of the atmosphere bothnatural and anthropogenic that absorb and emit radiation at specific wavelengths within the spectrum of thermal infrared According to the World Commission on Dams report, where the reservoir is large compared to the generating capacity (less than 100 watts per square metre of surface area) and no clearing of the forests in the area was undertaken prior to impoundment of the reservoir, greenhouse gas emissions from the reservoir may be higher than those of a conventional oil-fired thermal generation plant. ^[8] These emissions represent carbon already in the biosphere, not fossil deposits that had been sequestered from the carbon cycle.

In boreal reservoirs of Canada and Northern Europe, however, greenhouse gas emissions are typically only 2 to 8% of any kind of conventional fossil-fuel thermal generation. Taiga (ˈtaɪgə from Turkic or Mongolian) is a Biome characterized by Coniferous forests A new class of underwater logging operation that targets drowned forests can mitigate the effect of forest decay. ^[9]

Discussions to exclude hydropower facilities from obtaining carbon credits under the Clean Development Mechanism are starting to take place, most recently at the UN Climate Change Conference 2007 in Bali, Indonesia. CDM directs here For other uses see CDM (disambiguation. The Clean Development Mechanism ( CDM) is an arrangement under the ^[10]

Population relocation

Another disadvantage of hydroelectric dams is the need to relocate the people living where the reservoirs are planned. In many cases, no amount of compensation can replace ancestral and cultural attachments to places that have spiritual value to the displaced population. Additionally, historically and culturally important sites can be flooded and lost. Such problems have arisen at the Three Gorges Dam project in China, the Clyde Dam in New Zealand and the Ilısu Dam in Southeastern Turkey. Zh-yue三峽大壩 The Three Gorges Dam ( is a hydroelectric River Dam that spans the Yangtze River in Sandouping, The Clyde Dam is New Zealand 's third largest Hydroelectric dam, and is built on the Clutha River, near the town of Clyde. Ilısu Dam ( Turkish: /ɯlɯsu/ is one of the 21 Dams of the Southeastern Anatolia Project of Turkey.

Dam failures

Failures of large dams, while rare, are potentially serious — the Banqiao Dam failure in Southern China resulted in the deaths of 171,000 people and left millions homeless. The Banqiao Reservoir Dam ( and Shimantan Reservoir Dam ( are among 62 Dams in Zhumadian Prefecture of China 's Henan Province that Dams may be subject to enemy bombardment during wartime, sabotage and terrorism. Sabotage is a deliberate action aimed at weakening an enemy oppressor or employer through subversion obstruction disruption and/or destruction Smaller dams and micro hydro facilities are less vulnerable to these threats. Micro Hydro is a term used for Hydroelectric power installations that typically produce up to 100 kW of power The creation of a dam in a geologically inappropriate location may cause disasters like the one of the Vajont Dam in Italy, where almost 2000 people died, in 1963. Vajont Dam is a Dam completed in 1961 under Monte Toc, 100 km north of Venice, Italy.

Comparison with other methods of power generation

The hydroelectric power station of Aswan Dam, Egypt

Hydroelectric Reservoir Vianden, Luxembourg

Hydroelectricity eliminates the flue gas emissions from fossil fuel combustion, including pollutants such as sulfur dioxide, nitric oxide, carbon monoxide, dust, and mercury in the coal. Aswan (Assuan is a city on the first cataract of the Nile in Egypt. Vianden (Veianen is a commune with city status in the Oesling, north-eastern Flue gas emissions from fossil fuel combustion refers to the Combustion product gas resulting from the burning of Fossil fuels. Nitric oxide or nitrogen monoxide is a Chemical compound with Chemical formula N[[Oxygen O]] Carbon monoxide, with the chemical formula CO is a colorless odorless tasteless yet highly toxic Gas. Mercury (ˈmɜrkjʊri also called quicksilver or hydrargyrum, is a Chemical element with the symbol Hg ( Latinized hydrargyrum Hydroelectricity also avoids the hazards of coal mining and the indirect health effects of coal emissions. Coal mining is the extraction or removal of Coal from the Earth by Mining. Compared to nuclear power, hydroelectricity generates no nuclear waste, has none of the dangers associated with uranium mining, nor nuclear leaks. Nuclear power is any Nuclear technology designed to extract usable Energy from atomic nuclei via controlled Nuclear reactions Radioactive wastes are Waste types containing radioactive Chemical elements that do not have a practical purpose Uranium mining is the process of extraction of Uranium Ore from the ground This article covers notable accidents involving nuclear devices and radioactive materials Unlike uranium, hydroelectricity is also a renewable energy source.

Compared to wind farms, hydroelectricity power plants have a more predictable load factor. A wind farm is a group of Wind turbines in the same location used for production of electric power If the project has a storage reservoir, it can be dispatched to generate power when needed. Hydroelectric plants can be easily regulated to follow variations in power demand.

Unlike fossil-fueled combustion turbines, construction of a hydroelectric plant requires a long lead-time for site studies, hydrological studies, and environmental impact assessment. Hydrological data up to 50 years or more is usually required to determine the best sites and operating regimes for a large hydroelectric plant. Unlike plants operated by fuel, such as fossil or nuclear energy, the number of sites that can be economically developed for hydroelectric production is limited; in many areas the most cost effective sites have already been exploited. New hydro sites tend to be far from population centers and require extensive transmission lines. Hydroelectric generation depends on rainfall in the watershed, and may be significantly reduced in years of low rainfall or snowmelt. Long-term energy yield may be affected by climate change. Utilities that primarily use hydroelectric power may spend additional capital to build extra capacity to ensure sufficient power is available in low water years.

In parts of Canada (the provinces of British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, Newfoundland and Labrador) hydroelectricity is used so extensively that the word "hydro" is often used to refer to any electricity delivered by a power utility. British Columbia (ˌbrɪtɨʃ kəˈlʌmbiə ( BC) ( (la Colombie-Britannique C Manitoba (English ˌmænɨˈtoʊbə French /manitoba/ is a province of Canada, spanning 647797 square kilometres (250116  sq mi of North America Ontario (ɒnˈtɛrioʊ is a province located in the central part of Canada, the largest by population and second largest after Quebec Quebec (kwɨˈbɛk Newfoundland and Labrador (ˈnuːfɨn(dlənd ən(d ˈlæbrəˌdɔr (Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador is a province of Canada, the tenth and latest to join the Confederation The government-run power utilities in these provinces are called BC Hydro, Manitoba Hydro, Hydro One (formerly "Ontario Hydro"), Hydro-Québec and Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro respectively. Founded in 1961 Manitoba Hydro is the electric power and natural gas utility in the province of Manitoba. Hydro One Incorporated delivers electricity across the Canadian province of Ontario. Hydro-Québec is a Crown corporation that provides electricity to Quebec, Canada and the north-eastern parts of the United States Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro is a provincial Crown corporation that provides hydroelectric power for Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Hydro-Québec is the world's largest hydroelectric generating company, with a total installed capacity (2005) of 31,512 MW.

Countries with the most hydro-electric capacity

The ranking of hydro-electric capacity is either by actual annual energy production or by installed capacity power rating. A hydro-electric plant rarely operates at its full power rating over a full year; the ratio between annual average power and installed capacity rating is the load factor. The installed capacity is the sum of all generator nameplate power ratings. Sources came from BP Annual Report 2006 ^[11] List of the largest hydoelectric power stations

Country	Annual Hydroelectric Energy Production(TWh)	Installed Capacity (GW)	Load Factor
People's Republic of China(2007) [12]	486. This article provides a list of the largest hydroelectric power stations. Talk People's Republic of China) PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES 7	145. 26	0. 37
Canada	350. Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page 3	88. 974	0. 59
Brazil	349. |utc_offset = -2 to -4 |time_zone_DST = BRST |utc_offset_DST = -2 to -5 |cctld 9	69. 080	0. 56
USA	291. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the 2	79. 511	0. 42
Russia	157. Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending 1	45. 000	0. 42
Norway	119. Norway ( Norwegian: Norge ( Bokmål) or Noreg ( Nynorsk) officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Constitutional 8	27. 528	0. 49
India	112. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country 4	33. 600	0. 43
Japan	95. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. 0	27. 229	0. 37
Venezuela	74[13]	-	-
Sweden	61. Venezuela (ˌvɛnəˈzweɪlə) officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (Spanish República Bolivariana de Venezuela) is a country on the "Sverige" redirects here For other uses see Sweden (disambiguation and Sverige (disambiguation. 8	-	-
France	61. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. 5	25. 335	0. 25

Old hydro-electric power stations

Northern hemisphere

• Appleton, Wisconsin, USA completed 1882, A waterwheel on the Fox river supplied the first commercial hydroelectric power for lighting to two paper mills and a house, two years after Thomas Edison demonstrated incandescent lighting to the public. Appleton is a city in Calumet, Outagamie, and Winnebago Counties in the U Wisconsin ( or wɪˈskɑnsɨn (French Ouisconsin) is one of the fifty United States of America, located in the north central part of the United States The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The Fox River is a river in eastern and central Wisconsin in the United The incandescent light bulb, incandescent lamp or incandescent light globe is a source of electric Light that works by Incandescence, (a general Within a matter of weeks of this installation, a power plant was also put into commercial service at Minneapolis.

• Niagara Falls, New York. Robert Moses Niagara Power Plant is a hydroelectric Power plant in Lewiston NY near Niagara Falls NY For many years the largest hydroelectric power station in the world. Operation began locally in 1895 and power was transmitted to Buffalo, New York, in 1896.

• Decew Falls 1, St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada completed 25 August 1898. Ontario (ɒnˈtɛrioʊ is a province located in the central part of Canada, the largest by population and second largest after Quebec Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page Owned by Ontario Power Generation. Ontario Power Generation (OPG is a Public company wholly owned by the Government of Ontario. Four units are still operational. Recognized as an IEEE Milestone in Electrical Engineering & Computing by the IEEE Executive Committee in 2002. The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers or IEEE (read eye-triple-e) is an international Non-profit, professional organization

• It is believed that the oldest Hydro Power site in the United States is located on Claverack Creek, in Stottville, New York. Stottville is a hamlet (and Census-designated place) in Columbia County, New York, United States. The turbine, a Morgan Smith, was constructed in 1869 and installed 2 years later. It is one of the earliest water wheel installations in the United States to generate electricity. It is owned today by Edison Hydro.

• The oldest continuously-operated commercial hydroelectric plant in the United States is built on the Hudson River at Mechanicville, New York. Mechanicville is a City in Saratoga County, New York, United States. The seven 750 kW units at this station initially supplied power at a frequency of 38 Hz, but later were increased in speed to 40 Hz. The utility frequency ( American English) or mains frequency ( British English) is the Frequency at which Alternating current (AC is It went into commercial service July 22,1898. It is now being restored to its original condition and remains in commercial operation. ^[14]

• The oldest continuously-operated hydroelectric generator in Canada is located in St. Stephen, New Brunswick, Canada. St Stephen (2001 pop 4667 is a Canadian town in Charlotte County, New Brunswick. Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page Part of the construction of the Milltown Cotton Mill, this rope-driven generator originally powered the electric lights for the mill when it opened in 1882, and in 1888 started providing power to homes in the town. NB Power now owns and operates this as part of the Milltown Dam hydroelectric station. NB Power (French Énergie NB) formerly known as New Brunswick Power Corporation and New Brunswick Electric Power Commission is an electrical utility in

Southern hemisphere

• Duck Reach, Launceston, Tasmania. Duck Reach Power Station was the first publicly owned hydro-electric plant in the Southern Hemisphere, and provided the Tasmanian city of Launceston Completed 1895. The first publicly owned hydro-electric plant in the Southern Hemisphere. Supplied power to the city of Launceston for street lighting.

Major schemes under construction

Proposed Major Hydro-electric Project

See also

Renewable energy
Biofuels Biomass Geothermal Hydro power Solar power Tidal power Wave power Wind power

• Hydropower
• Run-of-the-river hydroelectricity
• List of countries by renewable electricity production
• List of reservoirs and dams
• List of the largest hydoelectric power stations
• Small hydro
• Pumped-storage hydroelectricity
• Environmental concerns with electricity generation
• Category:Hydroelectric power plants by country

References

• New Scientist report on greenhouse gas production by hydroelectric dams.
• International Water Power and Dam Construction Venezuela country profile
• International Water Power and Dam Construction Canada country profile
• Tremblay, Varfalvy, Roehm and Garneau. 2005. Greenhouse Gas Emissions - Fluxes and Processes, Springer, 732 p.

External links

• Hydroelectricity at the Open Directory Project
• Mechanicville Hydroelectric Station Tour Video
• National Hydropower Association, USA
• Hydropower Reform Coalition, USA
• Interactive site that demonstrates dams' effects on rivers
• Center of expertise on hydropower impacts on fish and fish habitat, Canada
• Hydro-Québec
• CBC Digital Archives – Hydroelectricity: The Power of Water
• University of Washington Libraries – Seattle Power and Water Supply Collection
• United States Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)
• European Small Hydropower Association
• Power at Niagara Falls Niagara Falls Public Library (Ont. The Open Directory Project ( ODP) also known as dmoz (from directory )
• Milford Hydroelectric Station Restoration Tour Built by Henry Ford in 1939