Hydropower

Hydropower is generated from water.  Flowing water.  Actually falling water.  Water wheels were that first hydropower generators and that energy turned belts which turns machines.  Or it turned grinding stones for mills. 

Today water turns turbines which turns rotators which pass magnets which generates electricity. 

These 8 generators are in Powerhouse 2 on the Washington side of Bonneville Dam.  If you look closely you will see the light on the nearest unit.  That means that it was operating when I took this photo.  If you look more carefully , you can just make out that the last generator is also running.  The reason for that is that the running units expel water on the low side of the dam.  The salmon coming upstream are drawn to moving water and head that it.  The fish ladders are located at each end of Powerhouse 2 so the Salmon can find a way to get around Bonneville Dam and continue their journey upriver to their spawning ground.   Some of these fish swim over 500 miles to return to their birthplace. I met a visitor yesterday that worked at a remote hatchery in Idaho almost in Montana.  Their fish pass through the Bonneville Dam on their way home.