Iranian engineers have indigenized an important piece of equipment used in hydroelectric power plants, the deputy for operation affairs at Iran Water and Power Resources Development Company.
“The automatic voltage regulator, which is one of the main components of hydroelectric power stations, has been manufactured and will be used in the power plants,” Jalaleddin Hojjati was quoted as saying by IRNA.
AVR is used to regulate the voltage. It takes a fluctuating voltage and changes it into a stable power. Fluctuation in voltage occurs mainly due to variation in load on the supply system. Variations in voltage often damage power equipment.
“Hydro power plants have major high-tech components that are produced by a limited number of countries,” Hojjati said, adding that experts and engineers from the IWPCO have been busy working on manufacturing the AVR for the past six years and are producing it with localized knowledge.
‘Heart of the Plant’
According to Hojjati, a few years ago, turbine governor, another major part in power stations, was indigenized and is being used in Sardasht and Daryan hydropower plants.
Known as the “heart” of a power plant, the turbine governor ensures stable and efficient operation of the unit under versatile hydraulic conditions.
Established in 1989, IWPCO is a major employer of dam and hydroelectric power plants.
A subsidiary of the Energy Ministry, it seeks to actualize a considerable part of the hydropower potentials of the country and develop the facilities of reserving and transferring of water.
Hydropower is a renewable energy and its production is cleaner compared to other sources
Hydroelectric plants in Iran have an installed capacity of 12,000 MW, but produce less because many dams are half full.
These play a key role during power outages by quickly reestablishing supply and supporting other plants (mostly thermal).
As of now 54 hydroelectric power plants operate across the country, mostly in the coastal regions near the Persian Gulf and Sea of Oman.
There are 17 hydroelectric power plants under construction and are projected to add 3,725 MW to power output.
Regarding hydroelectric power capacity, Iran is 19th in the world and 6th in Asia. China is first in Asia and the world with 341,000 MW.
Global Status
More than 21.8 gigawatts of renewable hydroelectric capacity was put into operation globally in 2018, according to the 2019 Hydropower Status Report.
Electricity from hydropower plants reached a record 4,200 terawatt hours in 2018, the highest ever from a renewable energy source, as worldwide installed hydropower capacity climbed to 1,292 GW, according to the report.
China added the most capacity with installation of 8,540 megawatts, followed by Brazil (3,866 MW), Pakistan (2,487 MW), Turkey (1,085 MW), Angola (668 MW), Tajikistan (605 MW), Ecuador (556 MW), India (535 MW), Norway (419 MW) and Canada (401 MW).
Hydropower is produced in 150 countries. The cost of hydroelectricity is relatively low, making it a competitive source of renewable energy.
