Welsh hydropower project that prevents UK grid crashes to get 25-year-life extension
In just 75 seconds, the plant can generate 1,800 MW of power on demand.
IIn 1984, the Dinorwig hydropower plant in North Wales was built to store low-cost energy produced at night and supply it during the day. More than four decades later, the power plant plays a crucial role in keeping the lights on when the UK’s electrical grid faces power outages and can swing into action in just 75 seconds to prevent a major blackout.
Hydroelectric power uses the flow of water to move turbines and generate electricity. The technology is over a century old and has been used to power homes and industries in various parts of the world. Most of these projects were built using dams on rivers. Still, with changing climate and rainfall patterns, hydroelectric power plants have become less reliable for generating regular power.
In the UK, hydropower contributes just two percent of overall energy production. Still, with the rise of renewable energy projects, a modified version of the hydropower project is rapidly becoming the top choice for long-term energy storage, which the Dinorwig project has repeatedly achieved.
Long-term renewable energy storage
While conventional hydropower plants work by generating electricity from water flowing through dams, projects like Dinorwig have mechanisms to pump back water that has passed the turbines back to higher reservoirs where it can be used to generate electricity once again.
The recent rise of wind and solar energy projects has also created a demand for energy storage solutions that can power the grid when the supply is low. Much of this is being delivered through the use of chemical batteries, which are great in the short run but cannot support long-term energy storage.