Rheidol power station is a 56
MW hydroelectric
Hydroelectricity, or hydroelectric power, is electricity generated from hydropower (water power). Hydropower supplies one sixth of the world's electricity, almost 4500 TWh in 2020, which is more than all other renewable sources combined and ...
scheme near
Aberystwyth
Aberystwyth () is a university and seaside town as well as a community in Ceredigion, Wales. Located in the historic county of Cardiganshire, means "the mouth of the Ystwyth". Aberystwyth University has been a major educational location in ...
,
Wales. It was built between 1957 and 1962 and was officially opened on 3 July 1964. It has been operated by
Statkraft
Statkraft AS is a hydropower company, fully owned by the Norwegian state. The Statkraft Group is a generator of renewable energy, as well as Norway’s largest and the Nordic region's third largest energy producer. Statkraft develops and generates ...
since 2009 after it was transferred from
E.ON UK as part of a swap for shares.
In 1964/65 Rheidol Power Station was awarded the
Christopher Hinton trophy in recognition of good
housekeeping.
The power plant is the largest of its kind in
England and
Wales. The plant has generated renewable energy by using rainwater that falls on the surrounding mountains since 1962. The plant covers a total area of and is made up of an interconnected group of reservoirs, dams, pipelines, aqueducts, and power stations. The upper reaches of the scheme are over above sea level in the
Plynlimon mountains. A series of aqueducts collects the water and channels it into the Nant-y-Moch reservoir. Water flows from this reservoir to a power station at Dinas where it drives a 13MW generator. From the power station, the water flows into Dinas reservoir. Dinas reservoir supplies water to the largest power station at Cwm Rheidol where there are two 20.5MW generators. At Cwm Rheidol a further reservoir has been created to avoid large variations in the flow of water. This reservoir collects water that flows through the power station and releases it slowly through a 1MW generator.
References
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Hydroelectric power stations in Wales
Buildings and structures in Ceredigion
{{UK-powerstation-stub