The Three Gorges Dam on the Yangtze River in China is the world's biggest hydroelectric facility.
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Three Gorges Dam: The world's largest hydroelectric plant
Credit: Le Grand Portage, Wikipedia
In 2012, the Three Gorges Dam in China took over the #1 spot of the largest hydroelectric dam (in electricity production), replacing the Itaipú hydroelectric power plant in Brazil and Paraguay. The Three Gorges Dam has a generating capacity of 22,500 megawatts (MW) compared to 14,000 MW for the Itaipu Dam. But, over a year-long period, both dams can generate about the same amount of electricity because seasonal variations in water availability on the Yangtze River in China limit power generation at Three Gorges for a number of months during the year.
The height of Three Gorges is about 594 feet (181 meters (m)) and the length is about 7,770 feet (2, 335 m). The dam creates the Three Gorges Reservoir, which has a surface area of about 400 square miles (1,045 square kilometers) and extends upstream from the dam about 370 miles (600 kilometers).
In the United States, the Grand Coulee Dam on the Columbia River, Washington, is the largest, with a generating capacity of about 6,800 MW (5th overall worldwide).
Below are other science topics associated with hydroelectric power water use.
Water Use Information by Topic
Hydroelectric Power Water Use
Hydroelectric Power: How it Works
Hydroelectric Power: Advantages of Production and Usage
- Overview
The Three Gorges Dam on the Yangtze River in China is the world's biggest hydroelectric facility.
• Water Science School HOME • Water Use topics •
Three Gorges Dam: The world's largest hydroelectric plant
Sources/Usage: Public Domain.Three Gorges Dam, China is the world's largest hydroelectric facility.
Credit: Le Grand Portage, WikipediaIn 2012, the Three Gorges Dam in China took over the #1 spot of the largest hydroelectric dam (in electricity production), replacing the Itaipú hydroelectric power plant in Brazil and Paraguay. The Three Gorges Dam has a generating capacity of 22,500 megawatts (MW) compared to 14,000 MW for the Itaipu Dam. But, over a year-long period, both dams can generate about the same amount of electricity because seasonal variations in water availability on the Yangtze River in China limit power generation at Three Gorges for a number of months during the year.
The height of Three Gorges is about 594 feet (181 meters (m)) and the length is about 7,770 feet (2, 335 m). The dam creates the Three Gorges Reservoir, which has a surface area of about 400 square miles (1,045 square kilometers) and extends upstream from the dam about 370 miles (600 kilometers).
In the United States, the Grand Coulee Dam on the Columbia River, Washington, is the largest, with a generating capacity of about 6,800 MW (5th overall worldwide).
- Science
Below are other science topics associated with hydroelectric power water use.
Water Use Information by Topic
Water is everywhere, which is fortunate for all of humanity, as water is essential for life. Even though water is not always available in the needed quantity and quality for all people everywhere, people have learned to get and use water for all of their water needs, from drinking, cleaning, irrigating crops, producing electricity, and for just having fun.Hydroelectric Power Water Use
Hydropower, or hydroenergy, is a form of renewable energy that uses the water stored in dams, as well as flowing in rivers to create electricity in hydropower plants. The falling water rotates blades of a turbine, which then spins a generator that converts the mechanical energy of the spinning turbine into electrical energy. Hydroelectric power is a significant component of electricity production...Hydroelectric Power: How it Works
So just how do we get electricity from water? Actually, hydroelectric and coal-fired power plants produce electricity in a similar way. In both cases a power source is used to turn a propeller-like piece called a turbine.Hydroelectric Power: Advantages of Production and Usage
Nothing is perfect on Earth, and that includes the production of electricity using flowing water. Hydroelectric-production facilities are indeed not perfect (a dam costs a lot to build and also can have negative effects on the environment and local ecology), but there are a number of advantages of hydroelectric-power production as opposed to fossil-fuel power production.