Bad Creek Hydroelectric Station facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bad Creek Hydroelectric Station |
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Overview of the reservoirs
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| Country | United States |
| Location | Oconee County, near Salem, South Carolina |
| Coordinates | 35°00′24″N 82°59′40″W / 35.00667°N 82.99444°W |
| Status | Operational |
| Opening date | 1991 |
| Owner(s) | Duke Energy |
| Reservoir | |
| Creates | Bad Creek Reservoir |
| Power station | |
| Turbines | 4 x 266 MW (357,000 hp) Francis pump turbines |
| Installed capacity | 1,065 MW (1,428,000 hp) |
The Bad Creek Hydroelectric Station is a special kind of power plant. It uses water to make electricity. This station is in Oconee County, South Carolina. It is about 8 miles north of Salem.
This power plant is owned by Duke Energy. It started making power in 1991. It can produce 1,065 megawatts of electricity. That's enough to power many homes!
Contents
How the Power Station Works
The Bad Creek Hydroelectric Station is a "pumped-storage" power plant. This means it moves water between two lakes. It uses this movement to create electricity.
Two Important Lakes
The station uses two main lakes. The first is the Bad Creek Reservoir. This is the upper lake. It was made by building dams on Bad Creek and West Bad Creek. The second lake is Lake Jocassee. This is the lower lake.
Storing Energy with Water
When people don't need much electricity, the plant stores energy. It uses its powerful pumps to move water. Water is pumped from Lake Jocassee up to the Bad Creek Reservoir. Lake Jocassee is at 1,110 feet elevation. The Bad Creek Reservoir is much higher at 2,310 feet. The water travels through a 1-mile long tunnel.
Making Electricity When Needed
When people need a lot of electricity, the plant releases the stored water. The water flows from the upper Bad Creek Reservoir. It rushes down to the lower Lake Jocassee. As the water flows down, it spins special machines. These machines are called "pump turbines." There are four of them, each very powerful. They act like generators.
The spinning turbines create electricity. After making power, the water goes back into Lake Jocassee. This whole process can be repeated again and again.
Powering Homes During Busy Times
This power station is mainly used as a "peaking power plant." This means it makes extra electricity during busy times. For example, on hot summer afternoons, many people use air conditioning. This creates a "peak" in electricity demand. The Bad Creek Station can quickly start making power to meet this high demand.
