25 Largest Hydroelectric Power Plants In The World [2024]

Want to know the largest hydroelectric power plants in the world? In 2012, the report has it that the Three Gorges Dam, which is situated in the Chinese province of Hubei, became the world’s largest hydroelectric power station succeeding the Itaipu hydroelectric power station (Brazil/Paraguay).

As of the time this article was published the Three Gorges dam has an installed capacity of 22,500 megawatts (MW), compared to 14,000 MW for the Itaipu dam.

However, despite the great difference in installed capacity, the two plants generate very similar amounts of electricity per year: Itaipu 103 TWh (2016) and Three Gorges 111.8 TWh (2020). The reason is purely weather.

The Three Gorges Dam experiences up to six months of the year in which there is very little water available to generate power, while the Paraná River that feeds Itaipu has much less seasonal variation in flow.

Both dams are two of only six in the world that exceeds 10,000 megawatts of installed capacity. The rest are: the Xiluodu Dam (13,860 MW), the Belo Monte Dam (11,233 MW), the Simón Bolívar Hydroelectric Power Plant (10,235 MW) and the Wudongde Dam (10,200 MW).

The Largest Hydroelectric Power Plants In The World

#	Name	Location	River	Installed capacity (MW)	Maximum annual production (TWh)	Completion year
1.	Three Gorges Dam	China	Yangtze river	22,500	111.8	2011
2.	Itaipu Dam	Brazil / Paraguay	Parana River	14,000	103	1984/1991, 2003
3.	Xiluodu Dam	China	Jinsha river	13,860	55.2	2014
4.	Belo Monte Dam	Brazil	Xingu River	11,233	39.5	2016/2019
5.	Simón Bolívar Hydroelectric Plant	Venezuela	Caroni river	10,235	53.41	1986
6.	Wudongde dam	China	Jinsha river	10,200	39	2020/2021
7.	Tucurui Dam	Brazil	Tocantins River	8,370	41.43	1984
8.	Baihetan Dam	China	Jinsha river	8,000	–	2021/?
9.	Grand Coulee Dam	USA	Columbia river	6,809	20	1942/1950, 1973, 1975/1980, 1983/1984, 1991
10.	Xiangjiaba Dam	China	Jinsha river	6,448	30.7	2014
11.	Longtan dam	China	Hongshui river	6,426	18.7	2007/2009
12.	Sayano–Shushenskaya hydroelectric power station	Russia	Yenisei River	6,400	26.8	1985/1989, 2010/2014
13.	Krasnoyarsk hydroelectric dam	Russia	Yenisei River	6,000	15	1967/1972
14.	Nuozhadu Dam	China	Mekong river	5,850	23.9	2014
15.	Robert Bourassa	Canada	Rio La Grande	5,616	26.5	1979/1981
16	Churchill Falls Hydroelectric Power Station	Canada	Churchill river	5,428	35	1971/1974
17.	Tarbela Dam	Pakistan	Indus river	4,888	13	1976
18.	Jinping-II Dam	China	Yalong River	4,800	24.23	2014
19.	Bratsk hydroelectric power station	Russia	Angara River	4,515	22.6	1961/1966
20.	laxiwa dam	China	Yellow River	4200	10.2	2010
21.	Xiaowan Dam	China	Mekong river	4,200	19	2010
22.	Ust-Ilimsk Reservoir	Russia	Angara River	3,840	21.7	1980
23.	Jirau Dam	Brazil	Madeira River	3,750	19.1	2014/2016
24.	Jinping-I Dam	China	Yalong River	3,600	17	2014
25.	Fengning Pumped Storage Station	China	–	3,600	3.4	2019/2021