Introduction hydroelectric Power what is it?

 
 
 
Modern Concepts and Future Role
Hydropower does not discharge pollutants into the environment; however, it is not free from 
adverse environmental effects. Considerable efforts have been made to reduce environmental 
problems associated with hydropower operations, such as providing safe fish passage and 
improved water quality in the past decade at both Federal facilities and non-Federal facilities 
licensed by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. 
Efforts to ensure the safety of dams and the use of newly available computer technologies to 
optimize operations have provided additional opportunities to improve the environment. Yet, 
many unanswered questions remain about how best to maintain the economic viability of 
hydropower in the face of increased demands to protect fish and other environmental resources. 
Reclamation actively pursues research and development (R&D) programs to improve the 
operating efficiency and the environmental performance of hydropower facilities. 

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Hydropower research and development today is primarily being conducted in the following 
areas: 
Fish Passage, Behavior, and Response 
Turbine-Related Projects 
Monitoring Tool Development 
Hydrology 
Water Quality 
Dam Safety 
Operations & Maintenance 
Water Resources Management 
Reclamation continues to work to improve the reliability and efficiency of generating 
hydropower. Today, engineers want to make the most of new and existing facilities to increase 
production and efficiency. Existing hydropower concepts and approaches include: 
-- Uprating existing powerplants 
-- Developing small plants (low-head hydropower) 
-- Peaking with hydropower 
-- Pumped storage 
-- Tying hydropower to other forms of energy 
Uprating
The uprating of existing hydroelectric generator and turbine units at powerplants is one of the 
most immediate, cost-effective, and environmentally acceptable means of developing additional 
electric power. Since 1978, Reclamation has pursued an aggressive uprating program which has 
added more than 1,600,000 kW to Reclamation's capacity at an average cost of $69 per kilowatt. 
This compares to an average cost for providing new peaking capacity through oil-fired 
generators of more than $400 per kilowatt. Reclamation's uprating program has essentially 
provided the equivalent of another major hydroelectric facility of the approximate magnitude of 
Hoover Dam and Powerplant at a fraction of the cost and impact on the environment when 
compared to any other means of providing new generation capacity.