Electricity has become a significant part of our lives, we cannot imagine our life without it nowadays. The discovery of electricity is under the name of Benjamin Franklin who proved with his experiment of Kite and key that the lightning and tiny electric sparkles were the same things. In technical terms, we can say that Electricity is a flow of charge (electrons). We get electricity as the second source of energy converted from the primary sources. Electricity can be generated by two forms of sources i.e. Renewable sources and Non-renewable sources. Let’s have a look at it.
Hydropower is considered as one of the most economic and non-polluting sources of energy. Unlike other non-renewable power plants, it doesn’t affect our environment. India is the seventh-largest producer of hydroelectric energy in the world. The total power capacity of electric power is around 47,053MW. We can refer hydropower or hydroelectricity as the conversion of energy from flowing water into electricity. Hydroelectric power plants use turbines to generate electricity. The turbine is connected to an electromagnetic generator which produces electricity when the turbine rotates.
Today, hydropower provides around 16 percent of the world’s electricity. Hydropower became a source of electricity after British-American engineer James Francis developed the first modern water turbine. The world’s first hydroelectric power plant in 1882, began operating in the United States of America. The world’s largest hydroelectric plant (in terms of installed capacity) is Three Gorges (Sanxia) on China’s Yangtze River, which 2.3 kilometers wide and 185 meters high.
List of Hydro-Electric Power Plants in India
| States | River | Name of Hydroelectric Power Plant |
|---|---|---|
| Andhra Pradesh | Krishna | Nagarjuna Hydro Electric Power plant |
| Srisailam Hydro Electric Power plant | ||
| Andhra Pradesh / Orissa | Machkund | Machkund Hydro Electric Power plant |
| Gujarat | Narmada | Sardar Sarovar Hydro Electric Power plant |
| Himachal Pradesh | Baira | Baira-Siul Hydroelectric Power plant |
| Sutlej | Bhakra Nangal Hydroelectric Power plant | |
| Nathpa Jhakri Hydroelectric Power plant | ||
| Beas | Dehar Hydroelectric Power plant | |
| Jammu and Kashmir | Chenab | Salal Hydro Electric Power plant |
| Jhelum | Uri Hydro Electric Power plant | |
| Jharkhand | Subarnarekha | Subarnarekha Hydroelectric Power plant |
| Karnataka | Kalinadi | Kalinadi Hydro Electric Power plant |
| Sharavathi | Sharavathi Hydroelectric Power plant | |
| Kaveri | Shivanasamudra Hydroelectric Power plant | |
| Kerala | Periyar | Idukki Hydro Electric Power plant |
| Madhya Pradesh | Sone | Bansagar Hydroelectric Power plant |
| Narmada | Indira Sagar Hydro Electric Power plant | |
| Madhya Pradesh / Uttar Pradesh | Rihand | Rihand Hydroelectric Power plant |
| Maharashtra | Koyna | Koyna Hydroelectric Power plant |
| Manipur | Leimtak | Loktak Hydro Electric Power plant |
| Odisha | Sileru | Balimela Hydro Electric Power plant |
| Mahanadi | Hirakud Hydro Electric Power plant | |
| Sikkim | Rangit | Rangit Hydroelectric Power plant |
| Teesta | Teesta Hydro Electric Power plant | |
| Uttarakhand | Bhagirathi | Tehri Hydro Electric Power plant |
- Tehri Dam Hydro Electric project is the highest Hydal project in India. It is situated in the Tehri district of Uttrakhand state. It was commissioned in the year 2006. The construction of this dam was started in 1978 with the technical collaboration from the USSR.
- Srisailam Dam is constructed on the Krishna River with a capacity of 1670 MW. It is situated in the border districts between Andhra Pradesh (districts Kurnool) and Telangana (Mahabubnagar district). It is the second-largest working Hydroelectric Power project in India.
- Bhakra Dam is built across the Sutlej River at Bhakra village in Bilaspur District of Himachal Pradesh. The total power generated from this dam is shared between Himachal Pradesh and Punjab and most of the outflow water is used by Punjab and Haryana for irrigational purposes.
- Purulia Pass Hydroelectric Power Plant of West Bengal has an installed capacity of total 900 MW power. It can generate power by discharging stored water from Upper Dam to Lower Dam through the reversible pump-turbine generator.
- Omkareshwar Dam is a gravity dam on the Narmada river in Khandwa district of Madhya Pradesh. The installed capacity of this hydroelectric power station is 520 MW.
Attempt 700+ Free Full Length Mock Tests here
Also Read:
List of International organizations and headquarters.
How to Prepare for SSC at home
Get Free Online Test Series, GK updates in form of Beepedia, BeeBooster, as well as latest updates for Bank PO, Bank Clerk, SSC, RBI, NABARD and Other Government Jobs.