There are three types of hydropower facilities: impoundment, diversion, and pumped storage.

Some hydropower plants use dams and some do not. The images below show both types of
hydropower plants.

Many dams were built for other purposes and hydropower was added later. In the United States,
there are about 80,000 dams of which only 2,400 produce power. The other dams are for
recreation, stock/farm ponds, flood control, water supply, and irrigation.

Hydropower plants range in size from small systems for a home or village to large projects
producing electricity for utilities. The sizes of hydropower plants are described below.

The Philippines has a population of more than 100 million and there are 15 large dams in
operation. The country’s dams have a total water storage volume of 8.67 x 109 m3.

The Philippines has a total installed capacity connected to its three grids of about 22 728 MW,
comprising 3627 MW of hydropower. Renewables (hydro, wind, solar, geothermal and biomass)
combined to generate 23 183 GW which was equivalent to 24.6 per cent of total generation.
Hydropower generated 9605 GWh of this. IPPs produced 90 613 GWh or 96 per cent of total
output in 2017, of which 6968 GWh was sold under contract to NPC. The rest was generated by
NPC and off-grid generators

IMPOUNDMENT

The most common type of hydroelectric power plant is an impoundment facility. An

impoundment facility, typically a large hydropower system, uses a dam to store river water in a
reservoir. Water released from the reservoir flows through a turbine, spinning it, which in turn
activates a generator to produce electricity. The water may be released either to meet changing
electricity needs or to maintain a constant reservoir level.
DIVERSION

A diversion, sometimes called run-of-river, facility channels a portion of a river through a canal
or penstock. It may not require the use of a dam.

PUMPED STORAGE

Another type of hydropower called pumped storage works like a battery, storing the electricity
generated by other power sources like solar, wind, and nuclear for later use. It stores energy by
pumping water uphill to a reservoir at higher elevation from a second reservoir at a lower
elevation. When the demand for electricity is low, a pumped storage facility stores energy by
pumping water from a lower reservoir to an upper reservoir. During periods of high electrical
demand, the water is released back to the lower reservoir and turns a turbine, generating
electricity. 

SIZES OF HYDROELECTRIC POWER PLANTS

Facilities range in size from large power plants that supply many consumers with electricity to
small and micro plants that individuals operate for their own energy needs or to sell power to
utilities.

Large Hydropower

Although definitions vary, DOE defines large hydropower as facilities that have a capacity of
more than 30 megawatts (MW).

Small Hydropower

Although definitions vary, DOE defines small hydropower as projects that generate 10 MW or
less of power.
Micro Hydropower

A micro hydropower plant has a capacity of up to 100 kilowatts. A small or micro-hydroelectric

power system can produce enough electricity for a home, farm, ranch, or village.

Hydroelectric Power Plants In the Philippines

Power = (Height of Dam) x (River Flow) x (Efficiency) / 11.8

Power The electric power in kilowatts (one kilowatt equals 1,000 watts).
Height of Dam The distance the water falls measured in feet.
River Flow The amount of water flowing in the river measured in cubic feet per second.
How well the turbine and generator convert the power of falling water into
electric power. For older, poorly maintained hydroplants this might be 60%
Efficiency
(0.60) while for newer, well operated plants this might be as high as 90%
(0.90).
11.8 Converts units of feet and seconds into kilowatts.

For the dam in our area, lets say we buy a turbine and generator with an efficiency of 80%.

Then the power for our dam will be:

Power = (10 feet) x (500 cubic feet per second) x (0.80) / 11.8 = 339 kilowatts

To get an idea what 339 kilowatts means, let's see how much electric energy we can make in a
year.

Since electric energy is normally measured in kilowatt-hours, we multiply the power from our
dam by the number of hours in a year.

Electric Energy = (339 kilowatts) x (24 hours per day) x (365 days per year) = 2,969,000 kilowatt
hours.

The average annual residential energy use in the U.S. is about 3,000 kilowatt-hours for each
person. So we can figure out how many people our dam could serve by dividing the annual
energy production by 3,000.

People Served = 2,969,000 kilowatts-hours / 3,000 kilowatt-hours per person) = 990 people.

So our local irrigation or recreation dam could provide enough renewable energy to meet the
residential needs of 990 people if we added a turbine and generator.

ADVANTAGES OF HYDROPOWER:

 Hydropower is fueled by water, so it's a clean fuel source, meaning it won't pollute the air
like power plants that burn fossil fuels, such as coal or natural gas.
 Hydroelectric power is a domestic source of energy, allowing each state to produce their
own energy without being reliant on international fuel sources.
 The energy generated through hydropower relies on the water cycle, which is driven by
the sun, making it a renewable power source, making it a more reliable and affordable
source than fossil fuels that are rapidly being depleted.
 Impoundment hydropower creates reservoirs that offer a variety of recreational
opportunities, notably fishing, swimming, and boating. Most water power installations are
 required to provide some public access to the reservoir to allow the public to take
advantage of these opportunities. 
 Some hydropower facilities can quickly go from zero power to maximum output.
Because hydropower plants can generate power to the grid immediately, they provide
essential back-up power during major electricity outages or disruptions.
 In addition to a sustainable fuel source, hydropower efforts produce a number of
benefits, such as flood control, irrigation, and water supply.

The Challenges
 Expensive to Install and Maintain
One cannot overlook the fact that the cost of construction and maintenance of dams,
power plants, and support infrastructure to produce the power required for everyday use
can run into billions of dollars. This directly implies that the high costs of building and
maintenance can undermine the overall production cost of electricity.
 Social Unrest
Building dams on rivers and other water bodies will limit the accessibility of water to
people who make their livelihood through agriculture and fishing, thus adversely
affecting their income. Most of the time, people caught in such situations are left with no
choice but to relocate to other places to make ends meet. This relocation may bring
about social unrest among them due to the lost agricultural land.
 Impact on the Environment
 Land Use: The size of the reservoir created for hydroelectric projects depends on the
size of the hydroelectric generators and the topography of the land. However, flooding
land to create a hydroelectric reservoir has adverse environmental impacts as it destroys
forests, wildlife habitats, and agricultural and scenic lands. In many instances, such as
the Three Gorges Dam in China, entire communities have had to be relocated to build
reservoirs.

https://www.energy.gov/eere/water/types-hydropower-plants

https://www.hydropower-dams.com/news/philippines-country-report/

http://globalenergyobservatory.org/list.php?db=PowerPlants&type=Hydro

https://www.energy.gov/eere/water/benefits-hydropower