10 DISADVANTAGES OF HYDRO ELECTRIC POWER GENERATION скачать в хорошем качестве

10 DISADVANTAGES OF HYDRO ELECTRIC POWER GENERATION

Hydro-electric power (HEP) is the generation of electricity using the energy of flowing or falling water, typically by constructing dams across rivers to harness the kinetic energy of water which turns turbines connected to generators. While hydro-electricity is a renewable and clean source of energy, it comes with several environmental, social, and economic disadvantages, especially for countries like Zimbabwe where major HEP stations like Kariba Dam play a central role. 📌 Disadvantages of Hydro-Electric Power Generation 1. High Initial Capital Costs: The construction of hydro-electric power stations requires huge financial investments for dam building, machinery installation, and infrastructure development, making it less accessible for developing countries without external financial aid. 2. Displacement of Communities: Large dam projects often flood vast areas, forcing the relocation of people living in the affected zones, leading to loss of homes, ancestral lands, and livelihoods, as experienced with the Kariba Dam project which displaced the Tonga people. 3. Environmental Disruption: Damming rivers disrupts natural ecosystems, affecting fish migration, altering aquatic habitats, and sometimes causing the extinction of native species that depend on natural river flow patterns. 4. Risk of Water-borne Diseases: The creation of reservoirs provides breeding grounds for disease vectors such as mosquitoes and snails, increasing the risk of diseases like malaria and bilharzia in surrounding communities. 5. Vulnerability to Drought: Hydro-electric power stations rely on adequate water flow; in times of drought, such as those experienced in Southern Africa, reduced water levels in dams result in decreased power generation and load-shedding. 6. High Maintenance Costs: Maintaining the dam structure, turbines, and transmission equipment requires skilled personnel and continuous financial input, which can be a burden on national resources in low-income economies. 7. Limited Suitable Sites: Not all geographical areas are suitable for hydro-electric projects since they require specific physical features like reliable river flow, deep gorges, and stable geological foundations, limiting expansion possibilities. 8. Siltation of Reservoirs: Rivers carry sediments that accumulate in reservoirs over time, reducing their water storage capacity, increasing maintenance demands, and shortening the operational lifespan of hydro-electric power stations. 9. Alteration of Downstream Water Supply: The regulation of river flow for electricity generation can reduce water availability downstream, negatively affecting agriculture, fishing, and domestic water supply for communities and industries. 10. Risk of Dam Failure: Although rare, dam failure due to natural disasters or poor maintenance can lead to catastrophic flooding, property destruction, and loss of life in downstream settlements, making safety a constant concern.