Hydro Electric Power Stations/Three Gorges Dam/Dams Flashcards
Constructing …… and …….. are the most common strategies used to get electricity from water.
Dams and Reservoirs.
How does a Hydro Electric Power Station work?
Water is stored behind the dam wall
The Sluice gates open
Water travels down the Penstock rapidly
The water turns a turbine
The turns from the turbine generate electricity
The electricity is changed so it can be transported
The power travels along Transmission cables
The water is released in the Downstream Outlet.
Where is a good location to build a dam?
A location where there is a deep and narrow valley that is in a mountainous area - lots of relief rainfall to keep the dam topped up. The area must be sparsely populated, so less compensation would have to be paid for evicting people from their homes.
What problems does constructing a dam bring?
Spoil views - Impact on local businesses
Residents near the valley would have to be evacuated - the land would be flooded for the dam
Loss of habitat - some animals would have to find a new home.
What are the benefits of constructing a dam?
Need to generate more electricity - people buying more gadgets and population constantly increasing
Environmentally friendly - no CO2 emitted into the atmosphere
Perfect location for leisure activities - canoeing, water skiing, fly boarding etc.
New water based habitat
The Three Gorges Dam is the biggest Hydro Electricity scheme in the world. The dam is build across the ……. River in China.
Yangtze
The Three Gorges Dam Wall is …… high and … long.
100m high and 2km long.
The Three Gorges Dam’s Reservoir is …. long.
600km
The Three Gorges Dam cost …… to construct.
£17 billion
What was the drawbacks of building the Three Gorges Dam?
1.3 million people had to be relocated
The sites of many sacred temples were lost
Changing the flow of the Yangtze may lead to the extinction of the Sturgeon and River Dolphin
Much good quality farmland was lost
Sewage and rubbish would be trapped behind the dam
What was the benefits of building the Three Gorges Dam?
HEP will enable the growth of industry in China
The river level is constant allowing shipping to use the length of the river
New settlements with better housing and sanitation would be built
100 million people downstream would be protected from flooding
Tourist cruise ships will be able to sail the river at all times.
Construction of the Three Gorges Dam began in ….. and finished in …. However the dam took another 5 years to fill up.
- 2003.
The Three Gorges Dam has …. turbines. They can create the same amount of electricity as all of the nuclear power stations in Britain.
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