GC: n
CT: Hydroelectric power plants use the potential energy of water stored in a reservoir to operate turbines. The turbines are connected to large generators, and can operate on varying volumes of water to adapt to changing demand for electricity. Hydroelectric power plant capacity is related to the height and capacity of a reservoir and require certain conditions in local geography in addition to a water source. Hydro is a renewable energy source and more cost-effective than many other renewable sources of energy such as photovoltaic. Hydropower currently provides about 25% of the world’s electricity and is very flexible in scale. Commercial installations range from 1 MW up to the largest installation to date of 18,400 Megawatts (China).
S: http://www.mannvit.com/HydroelectricPower/HydroelectricPowerPlants/ (last access: 25 February 2015)
N: 1. hydroelectric (adj): 1827, formed in English from hydro- + electric. Related: Hydroelectricity.
hydro: short for hydroelectric, from 1916.
power (n): c.1300, “ability; ability to act or do; strength, vigor, might,” especially in battle; “efficacy; control, mastery, lordship, dominion; legal power or authority; authorization; military force, an army,” from Anglo-French pouair, Old French povoir, noun use of the infinitive, “to be able,” earlier podir (9c.), from Vulgar Latin *potere, from Latin potis “powerful”. Sense of “electrical supply” is from 1896.
plant (n): Most extended usages are from the verb, on the notion of “something planted;” such as “construction for an industrial process,” 1789, at first with reference to the set-up of machinery, later also the building; also slang meaning “a spy” (1812). Many of these follow similar developments in the French form of the word. German Pflanz, Irish cland, Welsh plant are from Latin.
2. A hydroelectric power station converts the kinetic, or movement, energy in flowing or falling water into electrical energy that can be used in homes and businesses. Hydroelectric power can be generated on a small scale with a ‘run-of-river’ installation, which uses naturally flowing river water to turn one or more turbines, or on a large scale with a hydroelectric dam.
A hydroelectric dam straddles a river, blocking the water’s progress downstream. Water collects on the upstream side of the dam, forming an artificial lake known as a reservoir (1). Damming the river converts the water’s kinetic energy into potential energy: the reservoir becomes a sort of battery, storing energy that can be released a little at a time. As well as being a source of energy, some reservoirs are used as boating lakes or drinking water supplies.
S: 1. OED – http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?allowed_in_frame=0&search=hydroelectric&searchmode=none; http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?allowed_in_frame=0&search=power+plant&searchmode=none (last access: 25 February 2015). 2. http://www.edfenergy.com/energyfuture/generation-hydro (last access: 25 February 2015).
GV: hydro-electric power plant
S: TERMIUM PLUS (last access: 25 February 2015)
SYN: 1. hydroelectric power station, hydroelectric generating station. 2. hydro-electric station, hydro-electric plant, hydroplant, hydraulic-electric power production plant, hydraulic power generating plant.
S: 1. GDT (last access: 25 February 2015). 2. TERMIUM PLUS (last access: 25 February 2015).
CR: dam, hydroelectric power, hydraulic energy, hydraulic turbine, pumped-storage plant, water hammer.
