Small hydro

Small hydro is the development of hydroelectric generation facilities on a scale corresponding to river discharge and potential, and which is suitable for local community and industry, or to contribute to distributed generation in a regional electricity grid. The definition of a 'small hydro' project varies based on different consideration of what should constitute bottom and top limits from country to country, but most common range, although not binding, in capacity of 'small hydro' extend between 1 to 15 megawatts (MW), and can be further subdivide by scale into 'mini' (<1MW), 'micro' (<100kW), 'pico' (<10kW). In contrast many hydroelectric projects are of enormous size, such as the generating plant at the Three Gorges Dam at 22,500 megawatts or the vast multiple projects of the Tennessee Valley Authority. In India, hydro projects up to 25 MW station capacities have been categorized as Small Hydro Power (SHP) projects. Small hydro is the development of hydroelectric generation facilities on a scale corresponding to river discharge and potential, and which is suitable for local community and industry, or to contribute to distributed generation in a regional electricity grid. The definition of a 'small hydro' project varies based on different consideration of what should constitute bottom and top limits from country to country, but most common range, although not binding, in capacity of 'small hydro' extend between 1 to 15 megawatts (MW), and can be further subdivide by scale into 'mini' (<1MW), 'micro' (<100kW), 'pico' (<10kW). In contrast many hydroelectric projects are of enormous size, such as the generating plant at the Three Gorges Dam at 22,500 megawatts or the vast multiple projects of the Tennessee Valley Authority. In India, hydro projects up to 25 MW station capacities have been categorized as Small Hydro Power (SHP) projects.