Largest Power Plants in the World

WHAT IS A POWER PLANT?
Power plants are industrial units that are used for the generation of electric power. Sometimes it is also called as energy center because of the work it does. In short, it converts one form of the energy into another. These power plants contain a generator that converts mechanical energy in to electrical energy due to the motion of a conductor in a magnetic field. The energy source is source used in these power plants is of various types such as coal, water; wind, solar is several others. Here are some of the largest power plants.




THREE GORGES, CHINA
The three Gorges dam of China s the largest power plant in the world. It is a hydroelectric river dam situated on the Yangtze river. It is also the most controversial dam in the world. When completed it would produce enough energy from its 32 generators to light up New York, Washington DC and Boston together. Last October the 26th generator was installed. Still six more have to be installed and this project is expected to finish by 2011. That time, the total electricity generating capacity of the project will be 22,500 MW. In 2008, when it was compared with all the other forms of electricity generation using renewable sources, this dam generates more electricity than all the wind turbines do in USA. This dam not only provides electricity but also helps in navigation and flood control.

ITAIPU, BRAZIL/PARAGUAY
Itaipu is a hydroelectric dam situated on the Parana River which is on the borders of Brazil and Paraguay. “Itaipu” in Guarani language stands for “sound of the stone”. in 2008 it created a record by achieving an outstanding 94.68 billion kilowatt-hour of electricity. This binominal project was a joint declaration of mutual interest of the two countries and not only produces electricity but also shows the unity and trust between the two nations.

RAUL LEONI OR GURI DAM, VENEZUELA
The Guri dam stretches over 100 kilometers on the Caroni River in Venezuela. It is not only a power plant but also an interesting art piece. It produces up to 10 million kilowatts per hour. It has two machine rooms with ten generators each and on the walls; one can experience exotic Venezuelan art by the local artist Carlos Cruz Diez. The washed out water forms the second largest water bodies in the country and is used for fishing and recreational purposes.

TUCURUI, BRAZIL
Tucurui is a hydroelectric project located on the Tocantins River in Tucurui County, Brazil. The generation capacity of the plant is 8370 MW. The name “Tucurui” was actually taken from a small city that existed near the construction site in 1970s. Currently, there is a city of the same name at the downstream of the dam.


KASHIWAZAKI-KARIWA, JAPAN


The Kashiwazaki-Kariwa is a large and modern nuclear plant on 4.2 square kilometers including lands in the towns of Kashiwazaki and Kariwa on the coast of Sea of Japan from where it gets the water for cooling. It is owned by “the Tokyo electric power company”. It is the world’s largest nuclear generating unit.
These are the various types of the power plants of the world. One must visit them and appreciate the wonders of the modern world.