National Hydroelectric Power Resources Study: Potential for Increasing the Output of Existing Hydroelectric Plants. Volume 9
Abstract
The hydroelectric power generation system of the United States is comprised of 1.288 individual plants, totaling about 3,000 individual generating units, with installed capacity (exclusive of pumped storage) of 63,375 megawatts (MW) , generating 272,552 gigawatt hours of electrical energy per year. The data documenting characteristics of the 1,288 plants have been catalogued into a computer file for use in the evaluation of the potential for increasing output from existing plants. There is modest potential for increasing energy output from these plants (11%) with virtually all the increase due to capturing existing spill through enlargement of the existing power plants. Equipment uprating and improvements would likely contribute to more than 1.4% increase over existing output. Potential for increased energy output from operational improvements and storage reallocation is possible at sites with existing flood storage and is optimistically estimated to average 2% for the sites with flood control storage (a national increase of about 0.6%). While the total national potential for increasing energy output at existing plants is modest, the opportunities are real and in specific instances could be significant and important on a local scale. The existing hydropower generation system on the whole is making quite efficient use of the energy resources available at the existing sites.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jul 01, 1981
- Accession Number
- ADA636633
Entities
People
- Darryl W. Davis
- John U. Buckley