Small Hydel Plants

• There are a number of small hydel plants in Pakistan. Their installed capacity is 107 MW. One of them is Renala, located in the Upper Bari Doab Canal and commissioned in1925, it is the oldest hydel plant in Pakistan. Another is in Rasul, located between the Upper and Lower Jhelum Canals. It was commissioned in 1952, after which import of electricity from India was stopped.
• Main features of a hydel plant:

  1. The dam wall is constructed to create a water reservoir

  2. A tunnel leads the water from the reservoir to the turbine

  3. The power station is located at the base of the dam. The force of water from the tunnel runs the turbine which moves the generator. The generator generates the electric current

  4. The reservoir is the storage of water necessary to run the turbine continuously

  5. A natural feature is the hilly region where the dam site is located. Hills are seen in the background

  6. Pylons and transmission lines are used to supply electric current to nearby large towns