Hydroelectric power Student Work

How is it produced? Dams- water is released through the reservoir which flows through a turbine, spinning it, which activates a generator to produce electricity. The electricity travels up to towers on top of the dam which is then sent to power stations

Where is it produced? Major U.S. Hydroelectric Dams: Hoover Dam, Niagra Falls, Appleton, Wisconsin Major producers in the World: China, Canada, Brazil, US, Russia

What is it used for? Hydroelectricity provides power for cities. -Ex: The Three Gorges Dam is the largest electric power plant in the world. It sits on the Yangtze River in Hubei, China. This dam has a total generating capacity of more than 18,000 megawatts, supplying power to millions of houses, schools, and hospitals.

What are the pros and cons? 1)Renewable: While water is a renewable resource, there are limits to availability of reservoirs where hydroelectric plants can be built. 2)Non-Pollutant: Hydroelectric power creates no pollution, but pollutants are an issue during the plant construction process. 3)Reliable: Hydroelectric power is always reliable with rare occasions of flaws in the process. 4)Flexible: Water flow can easily be adjusted which adjusts the output of energy. 5)Safe: Unlike other sources of power, hydroelectricity is not harmful to our health. CONS: 1)Environmental consequences: Hydroelectricity causes damming which can harm the environment. It also can harm the fish population in the water. 2) Expense: Although construction is costly, hydroelectricity does not require a lot of labor to run it. 3)Droughts: Since power relies on our water source, a drought means no water and also no power. 4)Limited reservoirs: Only certain waterways are capable of becoming efficient reservoirs for hydroelectricity. Already most of the available waterways are being used as hydroelectric plants.