How Hydro Works
Hydropower converts the natural flow of water into electricity to light our homes and power our industries. The energy is produced by the fall of water turning the blades of a turbine. The turbine is connected to a generator that converts the energy into electricity.
The amount of electricity a hydropower installation can produce depends on the quantity of water passing through a turbine (the volume of water flow) or on the height from which the water falls (the amount of head). The greater the flow and the head, the more electricity produced.
There are different types and sizes of hydropower installations in Canada, ranging from micro hydro plants that provide electricity to only a few homes to mega installations, like Churchill Falls in Labrador, which produces enough power to light three cities the size of Montreal.
Some hydropower facilities include dams to increase the head of a waterfall or to control the flow of water, and reservoirs to store the water for future energy use (storage dam), while others produce electricity by immediately using a river's water flow (run-of-river). Some hydropower plants also use pumped storage systems, which store the water for reuse in the production of electricity during periods of high demand.
Hydropower is unique among energy sources for its operational flexibility. If there is an increased electricity demand, a hydropower plant can respond almost immediately by releasing more water. On the other hand, when the demand is low, a hydropower plant can reserve the water for future requirements. Hydropower can also supplement other forms of renewable energy such as wind or solar power.
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