How does a hydroelectric plant work?

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The basic principle is to use the force of a waterfall to generate electricity. These plants have huge turbines, similar to giant weather vanes, which rotate driven by water pressure from a dammed river. When turning, the turbines drive generators that will produce energy.

In Brazil, hydroelectric plants are mainly responsible for the light that does not leave us in the dark. Although, last year, we lived in the shadow of the blackout, a period of rationing caused, among other reasons, by the lack of rain. But what do rains have to do with electricity? The thing is, when there is a long period of drought, the rivers lose volume and the level of the reservoir of the plants drops, reducing the force of the waterfall. Thus, the turbines rotate more slowly and produce less energy.

After the 2001 crisis, the government expanded plans to build plants powered by burning natural gas.

“A large hydroelectric plant is very expensive to build and has a great environmental impact, but on the other hand it is a clean and renewable source of energy, which does not depend on fossil fuels”, says engineer Lineu Belico dos Reis, author of the book Electric Energy for Sustainable Development and professor at USP.

While the new types of power plants are not ready, Brazil continues to depend on its hydroelectric plants. The Itaipu plant alone, on the Paraná River, the largest in the world, produces 12,600 megawatts, 25% of the energy consumed in all of Brazil.