List of largest hydroelectric power stations

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This article provides a list of the largest hydroelectric power stations by generating capacity. Only plants with capacity larger than 2,000 MW are listed.

The Three Gorges Dam in Hubei, China, has the world's largest instantaneous generating capacity (22,500 MW), with the Itaipu Dam in Brazil/Paraguay in second place (14,000 MW). Despite large differences in installed capacity of these two power stations, during the course of an entire year they generate equal amounts of electrical energy - Itaipu 98.2 TWh in 2012[1] and Three Gorges 98.1 TWh in 2012,[2] because the Three Gorges experiences six months per year when there is very little water available to generate power, while the Paraná River that feeds the Itaipu has a much lower seasonal variance in flow. Power output of the Three Gorges reaches 125 TWh in years of high feed availability.

The Three Gorges (22,500 MW - 32 × 700 MW and 2 × 50 MW) is operated jointly with the much smaller Gezhouba Dam (2,715 MW), the total generating capacity of this two-dam complex is 25,215 MW. The Itaipu on the Brazil–Paraguay border has 20 generator units with overall 14,000 MW of installed capacity, however the maximum number of generating units allowed to operate simultaneously cannot exceed 18 (12,600 MW).

The Jinsha River (the upper stream of Yangtze River) complex is the largest hydroelectric generating system currently under construction. It has three phases. Phase one includes four dams on the downstream of the Jinsha River. They are Wudongde Dam, Baihetan Dam, Xiluodu Dam, and Xiangjiaba Dam, with generating capacity of 10,200 MW, 13,050 MW, 13,860 MW, and 6,400 MW respectively. Phase two includes eight dams on the middle stream of the Jinsha River. The total generating capacity is 21,150 MW. Phase three includes eight dams on the upper stream of the Jinsha River. The total generating capacity is 8,980 MW. The total combined capacity of the Jinsha complex with the Three Gorges complex will be 97,355 MW.

Preliminary plans exist for the construction of the next largest hydroelectric power station with an installed capacity of 39,000 MW.[3] The Project is called Grand Inga and is planned to be realised on the lower Congo River.[4]

Another proposal, Penzhin Tidal Power Plant, presumes an installed capacity up to 87,100 MW.

The largest hydroelectric power stations top the list of the largest power stations of any kind, are among the largest hydraulic structures and are some of the largest artificial structures in the world.

Largest power stations

This table lists currently operational power stations with an installed capacity of at least 2,000 MW. Some of these may have additional units under construction, but only current installed capacity is listed.

Rank Name Country River Installed capacity (MW) Annual electricity production (TW-hour)[5] Years of completion Area flooded (km²)
1 Three Gorges Dam  China Yangtze 22,500 98.8[6] 2008 1,084
2 Itaipu Dam  Brazil
 Paraguay
Paraná 14,000 98.6[1] 1984/1991, 2003[7] 1,350
3 Xiluodu  China Jinsha 13,860[8] 55.2 2014[9]
4 Guri  Venezuela Caroní 10,235 53.41 1978, 1986 4,250
5 Tucuruí  Brazil Tocantins 8,370 41.43 1984 3,014
6 Grand Coulee  United States Columbia 6,809 20[10] 1942/1950, 1973, 1975/1980, 1984/1985[11] 324
7 Xiangjiaba  China Jinsha 6,448 30.7 2014[12] 95.6
8 Longtan Dam  China Hongshui 6,426 18.7[13] 2007/2009
9 Sayano–Shushenskaya  Russia Yenisei 6,400 26.8 1985/1989, 2010/2014[14] 621
10 Krasnoyarsk  Russia Yenisei 6,000 15 1972 2,000
11 Nuozhadu  China Mekong 5,850 2014[15] 320
12 Robert-Bourassa  Canada La Grande 5,616[16][17] 26.5 1979/1981 2,835
13 Churchill Falls  Canada Churchill 5,428[18] 35 1971/1974 6,988
14 Jinping-II  China Yalong 4,800 2014
15 Bratsk  Russia Angara 4,500 22.6 1967 5,470
16 Laxiwa Dam  China Yellow 4,200[19] 10.2 2010
17 Xiaowan Dam  China Mekong 4,200[20] 19 2010 190
18 Ust Ilimskaya  Russia Angara 3,840 21.7 1980
19 Jinping-I  China Yalong 3,600 17 2014 82.5
20 Tarbela Dam  Pakistan Indus 3,478 13 1976 250
21 Ilha Solteira Dam  Brazil Paraná 3,444 17.9 1973 1,195
22 Ertan Dam  China Yalong 3,300 17 1999 101
23 Pubugou Dam  China Dadu 3,300 14.6 2009/2010
24 Macagua  Venezuela Caroní 3,167.5 15.2 1961/1996 47.4
25 Xingó Hydroelectrical Power Plant  Brazil São Francisco 3,162 18.7[21] 1994/1997
26 Yacyretá  Argentina
 Paraguay
Paraná 3,100 20.09 1994/1998, 2011 1,600
27 Nurek Dam  Tajikistan Vakhsh 3,015 11.2 1972/1979, 1988 98
28 Bath County PSP  United States - 3,003 3.32 1985, 2004
29 Goupitan Dam  China Wu 3,000[22] 9.67 2009/2011 94
30 Guanyinyan Dam  China Jinsha 3,000 13.62 2014/2016
31 Boguchany Dam  Russia Angara 2,997 17.6 2012/2014 2,326
32 W. A. C. Bennett Dam  Canada Peace 2,876 13.1 1968, 2012
33 La Grande-4  Canada La Grande 2,779[17] 1986 765
34 Gezhouba Dam  China Yangtze 2,715 17.01 1988
35 Manic-5 and Manic-5-PA  Canada Manicouagan 2,656[23] 1970/1971, 1989/1990 1,950
36 Volzhskaya (Volgogradskaya)  Russia Volga 2,639.5 12.84[24] 1961
37 Chief Joseph Dam  United States Columbia 2,620 12.5 1958/1973/1979 34
38 Niagara Falls (US)  United States Niagara 2,525 [25] 1961
39 Santo Antonio  Brazil Madeira 2,498.5[26][27] 2012/2016 271
40 Revelstoke Dam  Canada Columbia 2,480 1984, 2011 115
41 Paulo Afonso IV  Brazil São Francisco 2,462.4[28] 1979/1983
42 Chicoasén (Manuel M. Torres) Dam  Mexico Grijalva 2,430 1980, 2005
43 La Grande-3  Canada La Grande 2,418[17] 1984
44 Atatürk Dam  Turkey Euphrates 2,400 8.9 1990
45 Jinanqiao Dam  China Jinsha 2,400 2010
46 Sơn La Dam  Vietnam Black 2,400 10.25 2010/2012
47 Bakun Dam  Malaysia Balui 2,400 2011
48 Liyuan Dam  China Jinsha 2,400 2014/2015
49 Guandi Dam  China Yalong 2,400 2013
50 Zhiguliovskaya (Samarskaya)  Russia Volga 2,383 11.7[24] 1957
51 Karun III Dam  Iran Karun 2,280 4.17 2005
52 Iron Gates-I  Romania
 Serbia
Danube 2,254.8 11.3 1970
53 John Day Dam  United States Columbia 2,160 1949
54 Caruachi  Venezuela Caroní 2,160 12.95 2006
55 Ludila  China Jinsha 2,160 2014 [29]
56 La Grande-2-A  Canada La Grande 2,106[17][30] 1992
57 Aswan  Egypt Nile 2,100 11 1970
58 Itumbiara  Brazil Paranaíba 2,082 1980
59 Hoover Dam  United States Colorado 2,080 4 1936/1939, 1961
60 Cahora Bassa  Mozambique Zambezi 2,075 1975/1977
61 Cleuson-Dixence Complex   Switzerland - 2,069 4.51 1965, 1998
62 Bureya Dam  Russia Bureya 2,010 6.59[24] 2003/2009
63 Lijiaxia Dam  China Yellow 2,000 1997/2000
64 Karun I (Shahid Abbaspour) Dam  Iran Karun 2,000 1976, 1995, 2006
65 Masjed Soleyman Dam  Iran Karun 2,000 3.7 2002/2007
66 Ahai Dam  China Jinsha 2,000 2014[31]

Under construction

This table lists stations under construction with expected installed capacity at least 2,000 MW.

Name Country River Expected capacity (MW) Expected completion Location
Baihetan  China Jinsha 16,000[32] 2021 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Belo Monte  Brazil Xingu 11,233 2019 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Changheba  China Dadu 2,600 2016 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Dagangshan  China Dadu 2,600 2016 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Dasu Dam  Pakistan Indus River 4,320 2019 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Diamer-Bhasha Dam  Pakistan Indus River 4,500 2020 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Ethiopian Renaissance  Ethiopia Blue Nile 6,000 2018 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Guanyinyan  China Jinsha 3,000 2016 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Jirau  Brazil Madeira 3,750[33] 2016 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Lianghekou  China Yalong 3,000 2021 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Maerdang  China Yellow 2,200 2016 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Myitsone  Myanmar Irrawaddy 3,600 2017 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Rogun  Tajikistan Vakhsh 3,600 unknown Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Shuangjiangkou  China Dadu 2,000 2018 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Subansiri  India Subansiri 2,000 2018 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
TaSang  Myanmar Salween 7,110 2022 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Tocoma  Venezuela Caroní 2,160 2016 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Wudongde  China Jinsha 8,700 2020 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Ituango  Colombia Cauca 2,400 2018 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

See also

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 Itaipu Binacional: Energy
  2. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. Generating capacity is not the only factor determining the amount of electricity generated, as this also depends on consistent utilization of the plant's capacity. Factors enhancing this are the free capacity of the reservoir and the consistency of water supply during and across years.
  6. http://news.yahoo.com/chinas-three-gorges-dam-breaks-world-hydropower-record-004111862.html
  7. first unit installed in 1984, 18th in 1991; in 2003 2 additional units were installed
  8. http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/china/2014-07/02/c_133453148.htm
  9. http://energy.people.com.cn/n/2014/0702/c71661-25228009.html
  10. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. first unit installed in 1942, 21st in 1991; 6 units in third powerplant were installed between 1975 and 1980, 3 units of pumped-storage plant were installed in 1973, 3 more units in 1983 and 1984
  12. http://www.ce.cn/xwzx/gnsz/gdxw/201406/28/t20140628_3058868.shtml
  13. http://energy.people.com.cn/GB/7650064.html
  14. 10 units were installed between 1985 and 1989, after 2009 failure new units were installed between 2010 and 2014
  15. http://yn.xinhuanet.com/newscenter/2014-06/27/c_133441204.htm
  16. Combined with adjacent La Grande-2-A the LG-2 complex has 7,722 MW of installed capacity
  17. 17.0 17.1 17.2 17.3 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  18. http://www.nalcorenergy.com/churchill-falls.asp
  19. http://www.sasac.gov.cn/n1180/n1226/n2410/n314274/7508740.html
  20. http://www.yn.xinhuanet.com/newscenter/2010-08/25/content_20718495.htm
  21. ELETROBRAS 2011 Form 20-F
  22. http://www.hydropower.org.cn/info/shownews.asp?newsid=2122
  23. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  24. 24.0 24.1 24.2 http://www.rushydro.ru/activity/marketing/production/generation/2013
  25. Combined US-CA capacity >= 1.6 MW greater than this so would be about 10th place.
  26. http://www.santoantonioenergia.com.br/energia/energia1/
  27. 3,580 MW when all units will be comissioned
  28. Combined with adjacent Paulo Afonso IV, Paulo Afonso I, II, III and Apollonius Sales the Paulo Afonso Hydroelectric Complex has 4,279 MW of installed capacity
  29. http://www.hydropower.org.cn/showNewsDetail.asp?nsId=13203
  30. Combined with Robert-Bourassa, it would place LG-2 complex in 5th place
  31. http://yn.yunnan.cn/html/2014-06/08/content_3240292.htm
  32. http://www.dongfang.com/data/v/201507/4714.html
  33. 1,800 MW already installed