Hydropower Plants and Their Problems

Abstract

Approximately 23% of the world electric power is produced by hydroelectric power plants (HPP). This kind of power stations convert the kinetic energy of the falling water into the mechanical energy of the turbine's rotation, and the turbine drives the electric machine current generator. The construction of hydroelectric power plants is usually more capital intensive than thermal power plants. Reservoirs make the climate more moderate. There can be two main factors for effective power generation at HPPs: guaranteed availability of water throughout the year and possibly large deviations of the river