Selection of a Site For Hydro Power Plant

Following are the factors to be taken into account at the time of selecting a site for hydro power project :

1. Ample quantity of water at a reasonable head should be continuously available as far as possible throughout the year.
2. The site should be such that it is possible to construct a dam economically to store the water. Preferably there should be high, strong mountains on the two sides of a river.
3. At the site selected it should have strong foundation or the cost of foundation should be minimum.
4. There should be no possibility of future sources of leakage of water.
5. The dam or reservoir constructed should have large catchment area so that the water in should never fall below the minimum level.
6. The site should be approachable by road.
7. There should be possibility of stream diversion during the period of construction.
8. It should be near to load centre, so that cost of transmission lines is reduced.
9. Local supplies of sand, gravel etc. should be available, otherwise it will increase the cost of plant.