The Drop Hydro facts for kids
Quick facts for kids 
"The Drop" on the Mulwala canal
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| Location | Melrose Lane, Lalalty |
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| Coordinates | 35°46′34″S 145°45′12″E / 35.7761268°S 145.7533079°E |
| Commission date | 2000 |
The Drop Hydro Power Station is a special kind of power plant located in New South Wales, Australia. It uses the power of moving water to create electricity. This station is owned and operated by a company called Pacific Blue.
It's found near a town called Berrigan, New South Wales, right on the Mulwala Canal. This canal is a large waterway built to carry water for farming. The power station has one big machine called a turbine that helps make electricity. It can produce 2.5 megawatts (MW) of electricity, which is enough to power many homes!
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What is The Drop Power Station?
The Drop Hydro Power Station is a place where we turn the energy of flowing water into useful electricity. It's called "hydro" because that word means water. This power station is important because it creates clean energy without burning fossil fuels, which helps protect our planet.
How Does it Work?
Hydroelectric power stations like The Drop use a simple idea: moving water has energy.
- Water flows from a higher place to a lower place.
- As the water moves, it pushes against the blades of a large machine called a turbine.
- The turbine spins very fast, just like a pinwheel spins in the wind.
- This spinning turbine is connected to a generator, which is a machine that turns motion into electricity.
- The electricity then travels through power lines to homes and businesses.
Built on an Irrigation Canal
What makes The Drop Power Station really special is where it's built. It's the first hydroelectric power station in Australia to be built right on an irrigation canal.
- An irrigation canal is like a man-made river. It's built to carry water from a main source, like a large river or dam, to farms.
- Farmers use this water to help their crops grow, especially in dry areas.
- The Mulwala Canal is one of these important canals.
- Building the power station on an existing canal means we can use the water that's already flowing for farming to also make electricity. It's a clever way to use resources twice!
History and Location
The Drop Hydro Power Station was finished in November 2002. This means it has been producing clean energy for over 20 years! It's located in a rural area near Berrigan, New South Wales, in southeastern Australia. Its location on the Mulwala Canal makes it a unique and important part of Australia's clean energy efforts.
