TYPES OF HYDRO
POWERPLANTS
HYDROPOWER
Hydropower transforms the potential energy of a mass of water
flowing in a river or stream with a certain vertical fall (termed the
“head”).
Hydroelectric power is the cheapest source of energy, renewable
and environmentally benign during running.
The potential annual power generation of a hydropower project is
proportional to the head and flow of water
CLASSIFICATION OF HYDROPOWER
PLANTS :
CLASSIFICTION ACCORDING TO
CAPACITY :
LARGE: >100 MW
MEDIUM: 25 – 100 MW
SMALL: 1-25 MW
MINI: 100 KW - 1MW
MICRO: 5 – 100 KW
PICO: < 5 KW
CLASSIFICTION ACCORDING TO
HEAD:
LOW HEAD :
Low head hydro power applications use river
current or tidal flows of 30 meters or less to
produce energy.
These applications do not need to dam or
retain water to create hydraulic head, the
head is only a few meters.
Using the current of a river or the naturally
occurring tidal flow to create electricity may
provide a renewable energy source that will
have a minimal impact on the environment.
CLASSIFICTION ACCORDING TO
HEAD:
MEDIUM HEAD :
• A power station operating
under heads from 30m to
300m.
CLASSIFICTION ACCORDING TO
HEAD:
HIGH HEAD :
• A power station operating under heads above about 300m.
• A head of 200m/250m is considered as the limit between medium
and high head power stations.
CLASSIFICTION ACCORDING TO
HYDROLOGICAL RELATION :
SINGLE STAGE : When the run off from a
single hydropower plant is diverted back into
river or for any other purpose other than
power generation, the setup is known as
Single Stage.
CASCADE SYSTEM : When two or more
hydropower plants are used in series such
that the runoff discharge of one hydro power
plant is used as the is a intake discharge of
the second hydropower plant such a system
is known as CASCADE hydropower plant.
CLASSIFICTION ACCORDING TO
PURPOSE :
SINGLE PURPOSE : When the whole soul purpose of a project is to produce
electricity then such a project is known as a Single Purpose Hydro Power
Project.
MULTIPURPOSE : When the water used in hydropower project is to be used
for other purposes like irrigation, flood control or fisheries then such a project
is known as Multi Purpose Hydro Power Project.
CLASSIFICTION ACCORDING TO
FACILITY TYPE :
RUN-OF-RIVER TYPE :
• These are hydro power plants that utilize the stream flow as it comes , without any
storage being provided.
CLASSIFICTION ACCORDING TO
FACILITY TYPE :
STORAGE (RESERVOIR) TYPE :
• Hydropower plants with storage are supplied with water from large storage reservoir
that have been developed by constructing dams across rivers.
• Assured flow for hydro power generation is more certain for the storage schemes than
the run-of-river schemes.
CLASSIFICTION ACCORDING TO
FACILITY TYPE :
PUMPED STORAGE TYPE :
• Pumped storage type hydropower plants are those which utilize the flow of water from a
reservoir at higher potential to one at lower potential.
• During off-peak hours, the reversible units are supplied with the excess electricity
available in the power grid which then pumps part of the water of the tail-water pond
back into the head-water pond.
CLASSIFICTION ACCORDING TO
FACILITY TYPE :
IN-STREAM :
When the velocity of water i.e kinetic energy
flowing in the stream is used for conversion into
electrical power, then the system is known as
In-stream.
CLASSIFICTION ACCORDING TO
TRANSMISSION SYSTEM :
ISOLATED : Whenever a hydropower plant is set up in a remote area in
order to meet the local demands then such a hydropower plant is known
as Isolated System.
CONNECTED TO GRID : Whenever the hydropower plant is set up to
meet the demands of areas which are at a fair distance from the plant,
then the transmission of power takes through the grid system. Such a setup
is referred to as Connected to grid.
