Hydropower, or hydroelectric power, is a renewable source of energy that generates power by using a dam or diversion structure to alter the natural flow of a river or other body of water.

Hydropower, or hydroelectric power, is one of the oldest and largest sources of renewable energy, which uses the natural flow of moving water to generate electricity. Hydropower currently accounts for 27% of total U.S. utility-scale renewable electricity generation and 5.86% of total U.S. utility-scale electricity generation.

Hydropower (from Ancient Greek ὑδρο -, "water"), also known as water power or water energy, is the use of falling or fast-running water to produce electricity or to power machines.

Apr 20, 2023 · Hydropower is one of the oldest sources of energy for producing mechanical and electrical energy, and up until 2019, it was the largest source of total annual U.S. renewable electricity generation. Thousands of years ago, people used hydropower to turn paddle wheels on rivers to grind grain.

Apr 2, 2025 · hydroelectric power, electricity produced from generators driven by turbines that convert the potential energy of falling or fast-flowing water into mechanical energy.

Because hydropower plants can generate power to the grid immediately, they provide essential backup power during major electricity outages or disruptions. Hydropower provides benefits …

Discover hydro-power: the world’'s leading renewable energy source. Learn how it works, its benefits, and its crucial role in a sustainable future.

Hydropower extracts mechanical energy from water, transforming it into electrical energy to generate electricity. Water in the environment often has both gravitational potential energy and kinetic energy, which can generate electricity using a generator.

Hydropower plants harness water's energy and use simple mechanics to convert that energy into electricity. Hydropower plants are actually based on a rather simple concept -- water flowing through a dam turns a turbine, which turns a generator.

Further, it discusses the regulations and statutes applicable to the hydropower program. The primer describes the role of the Ofice of Energy Projects and its three divisions that work together to review hydropower project applications through the various licensing processes, oversee compliance and administration, and ensure dam safety.