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20 biggest power plants in the world

Last updated on: August 9, 2012 08:26 IST
Workmen hang from the power lines for a railway line on the outskirts of Beijing.

The United States, China and Japan are the world's largest producers of electricity. India has the fifth-largest electricity-generation capacity in the world. It has an installed capacity of over 152 gigawatts (1 gigawatt is equal to 1 billion watts).

Let's take a look at some of the biggest power plants in the world.

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20 biggest power plants in the world

Last updated on: August 9, 2012 08:26 IST
The Three Gorges Dam Project discharges flood water to lower the water level in the reservoir in Yichang, China.

Three Gorges Dam (China)

Capacity: 18,460 MW

Global rank: 1

The Three Gorges Dam is the world's largest hydropower project. Built on the Yangtze River in China, its construction began in 1994 and was fully operational in 2011.

It is expected to produce as much as 22.5 gigawatts of power.

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20 biggest power plants in the world

Last updated on: August 9, 2012 08:26 IST
A view of the Itaipu Hydroelectric dam.

Itaipu power plant (Brazil)

Capacity: 14,750 MW

Global rank: 2

The second-largest hydroelectric power plant on the Brazil-Paraguay border currently has over 20 generator units.

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20 biggest power plants in the world

Last updated on: August 9, 2012 08:26 IST
A view of Guri dam and the Simon Bolivar Hydroelectric Power Station, in the southern state of Bolivar, Venezuela.

Simon Bolivar (Venezuela)

Capacity: 10,055 MW

Global rank: 3

Venezuela meets 82 per cent of its electricity needs from the Simon Bolivar Hydroelectric Power Station.

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20 biggest power plants in the world

Last updated on: August 9, 2012 08:26 IST
A cargo barge enters a lock of the Tucurui dam on the Tocantins River, Brazil.

Tucurui (Brazil)

Capacity: 8,370 MW

Global rank: 4

Tucurui is the third-largest power generator in Brazil, representing 10 per cent of Brazil's installed capacity.

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20 biggest power plants in the world

Last updated on: August 9, 2012 08:26 IST
A man fishes near Tepco's Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear plant in Kashiwazaki, Japan.

Kashiwazaki-Kariwa (Japan)

Capacity: 8,206 MW

Global rank: 5

Owned and operated by The Tokyo Electric Power Company, Kashiwazaki-Kariwa is the largest nuclear generating station in the world by net electrical power rating.

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20 biggest power plants in the world

Last updated on: August 9, 2012 08:26 IST
Students, walking to school, are dwarfed by power towers as they fight their way across an open field, during a winter storm, in Pickering east of Toronto.

Bruce Power (Canada)

Capacity: 6,830 MW

Global rank: 6

Bruce Power is Canada's first private nuclear generator.

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20 biggest power plants in the world

Last updated on: August 9, 2012 08:26 IST
Mechanics work on an electricity pylon in the steppe area near the village of Solyonoozyornoye in Russia's Khakassia region.

Sayanao-Shushenskaya Dam (Russia)

Capacity: 6,500 MW

Global rank: 7

Located on the Yenisei River in Russia, it is the largest power plant in Russia and the sixth-largest hydroelectric plant in the world.

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20 biggest power plants in the world

Last updated on: August 9, 2012 08:26 IST
Grand Coulee Dam, Washington, United States.

Grand Coulee (United States)

Capacity: 6,495 MW

Global rank: 8

Grand Coulee is a gravity dam on the Columbia River in Washington. It is the largest electric power-producing facility in the United States and one of the largest concrete structures in the world.

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20 biggest power plants in the world

Last updated on: August 9, 2012 08:26 IST
Labourers install electronic cables on power poles in Hefei, China.

Longtan (China)

Capacity: 6,426 MW

Global rank: 9

Longtan Dam is a large roller-compacted concrete gravity dam on the Hongshui River in China.

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20 biggest power plants in the world

Last updated on: August 9, 2012 08:26 IST
A passenger train moves along a railway along the banks of the Yenisei River near the village of Sliznevo, outside Krasnoyarsk, Russia.

Krasnoyarsk (Russia)

Capacity: 6,000 MW

Global rank: 10

The Krasnoyarsk Dam is a 124-metre (407 ft) high concrete gravity dam located on the Yenisey River in Divnogorsk, Russia.

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20 biggest power plants in the world

Last updated on: August 9, 2012 08:26 IST
A woman sits on a bench and looks at her tablet in a park in Kiev, Ukraine.

Zaporizhzhya (Ukraine)

Capacity: 6,000 MW

Global rank: 11

The Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant on the bank of Kakhovsky reservoir is the largest nuclear power plant in Europe.

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20 biggest power plants in the world

Last updated on: August 9, 2012 08:26 IST
Transmission towers carrying solar and thermoelectric power from the Korea South East Power Co. plant are seen in Ansan, South Korea.

Poryong (South Korea)

Capacity: 5,954 MW

Global rank: 12

The Poryong plant is operated by Korea Electric Power company. The world's sixth-largest nuclear power producer, South Korea operates 21 nuclear power plants commercially.

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20 biggest power plants in the world

Last updated on: August 9, 2012 08:26 IST
Transmission towers carrying solar and thermoelectric power from the Korea South East Power Company plant in Ansan.

Ulchin (South Korea)

Capacity: 5,900 MW

Global rank: 13

Ulchin is one among the 21 nuclear generating stations in South Korea.

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20 biggest power plants in the world

Last updated on: August 9, 2012 08:26 IST
A view of Myeongdong shopping district in central Seoul.

Yonggwang (South Korea)

Capacity: 5,900 MW

Global rank: 14

The Yonggwang plant, one of the largest nuclear plants in South Korea, has been operating six reactors since 1978.

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20 biggest power plants in the world

Last updated on: August 9, 2012 08:26 IST
People ride their bicycles in front of wind turbines that generate electricity in Gaomei Wetland in Taichung, Taiwan.

Taichung Power plant (Taiwan)

Capacity: 5,834 MW

Global rank: 15

The Taichung Power Plant is the largest coal-fired power station in the world.

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20 biggest power plants in the world

Last updated on: August 9, 2012 08:26 IST
Kites fly in the sky as the Gravelines nuclear power plant is seen across the beach in Petit Fort Philippe, northern France.

Gravelines (France)

Capacity: 5,706 MW

Global rank: 16

The Gravelines Nuclear Power Station is the fifth-largest nuclear power station in the world.

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20 biggest power plants in the world

Last updated on: August 9, 2012 08:26 IST
A view Tokyo Electric Power Company's Futtsu Thermal Power Station in Japan.

Futtsu (Japan)

Capacity: 5,598 MW

Global rank: 17

The Futtsu Power Station is the second-largest gas-fired power station in the world. The facility is owned by Tepco.

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20 biggest power plants in the world

Last updated on: August 9, 2012 08:26 IST
The Paluel nuclear plant is seen across fields in Paluel, northern France.

Paluel (France)

Capacity: 5,528 MW

Global rank: 18

Operated by EDF, the nuclear power station consists of four 1330 MWe class pressurised water reactors.

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20 biggest power plants in the world

Last updated on: August 9, 2012 08:26 IST
The EDF nuclear power station of Cattenom near Thionville, Eastern France, at night.

Cattenom Nuclear Power Station (France)

Capacity: 5,448 MW

Global rank: 19

The Cattenom Nuclear Power Station located in Lorraine is close to the city of Luxembourg.

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20 biggest power plants in the world

Last updated on: August 9, 2012 08:26 IST
Muskrat Falls is seen at the Churchill River in central Labrador, Canada.

Churchill Falls (Canada)

Capacity: 5,429 MW

Global rank: 20

It is a hydroelectric power station located on the Churchill River.