How much does hydropower plant cost?

It's quite difficult to make generalisations about the cost to build hydro systems because of the different combinations of head (the change in water levels between the intake and discharge) and maximum flow rate, and how that affects the maximum power output and choice of turbine type. read more

To estimate the cost to build hydro systems for a maximum power output between the bands shown, use the chart below and read-off the appropriate £/kW figure – for example a 130 kW hydro system would be approximately 130kW x 4,800 £/kW = £624,000. read more

IRENA reports average investment costs for large hydropower plants with storage typically range from as low as $1,050/kW to as high as $7,650/kW, while the range for small hydropower projects is between $1,300/kW and $8,000/kW. read more

Modern hydro turbines can convert as much as 90% of the available energy into electricity. The best fossil fuel plants are only about 50% efficient. (1) In the U.S., hydropower is produced for an average of 0.85 cents per kilowatt-hour (kwh). This is about 50% the cost of nuclear, 40% the cost of fossil fuel, and 25% the cost of using natural gas. read more