The list of the largest hydroelectric power stations, only plants with capacity larger than 2,000 MW are listed.

The Three Gorges Dam complex in Hubei, China, has the world's largest generating capacity although Itaipu power plant generates the most electricity in the world in a single Dam. It includes 2 generating stations. They are the Three Gorges Dam (22,500 MW when completed) and Gezhouba Dam (3,115 MW). As of 2009, the total generating capacity of this complex is 21,515 MW. The whole project is planned to be completed in 2012, when the total generating capacity will be 25,615 MW. In 2008, this complex generated 97.9 TWh of electricity (80.8 TWh from the Three Gorges Dam and 17.1 TWh from the Gezhouba Dam).

The Itaipu power plant on the Brazil-Paraguay border currently produces first most hydroelectricity power in the world in a single dam. With 20 generator units and 14,000 MW of installed capacity, in 2008 the Itaipu power plant reached a new historic record for electricity production by generating 94.68 terawatt-hours (340,800 TJ). It's important to remember that although a power plant could have a really large generating capacity (generators) it also needs to have a continuous flow of water throughout the year, like the Itaipu Dam.

The Jinsha River (the upper stream of Yangtze River) complex is the largest hydroelectric generating system currently under construction. It has 3 phases. Phase one includes 4 dams on the downstream of the Jinsha River. They are Wudongde Dam, Baihetan Dam, Xiluodu Dam, and Xiangjiaba Dam, with generating capacity of 7,400 MW, 14,000 MW, 12,600 MW, and 6,000 MW respectively. The total generating capacity of those four dams is 40,000 MW. Construction of Xiluodu Dam started on December 26, 2005. Construction of Xiangjiaba Dam started on November 26, 2006. Phase one is planned to be completed in 2015. Phase two includes 8 dams on the middle stream of the Jinsha River. The total generating capacity is 21,150 MW. Phase three includes 8 dams on the upper stream of the Jinsha River. The total generating capacity is 8,980 MW. The total combined capacity of the Jinsha complex with the Three Gorges complex will be 95,745 MW.


Name Country Year of completion Total Capacity (MW) Max annual electricity
production (TW-hour)
Area flooded (km²)
1 Three Gorges Dam People's Republic of China 2008/2011 18,300 (October 2008);
22,500 (when complete)
80.8 632
2 Itaipu Brazil Paraguay 1984/1991/2003 14,000 94.7 1,350
3 Guri (Simón Bolívar) Venezuela 1986 10,200 46 4,250
4 Tucuruí Brazil 1984 8,370 41 3,014
5 Grand Coulee United States 1942/1980 6,809 20
6 Sayano Shushenskaya (17 August 2009 stopped) Russia 1985/1989 6,400 26.8 621
7 Krasnoyarskaya Russia 1972 6,000 20.4 2,000
8 Robert-Bourassa Canada 1981 5,616
9 Churchill Falls Canada 1971 5,429 35 6,988
10 Longtan Dam People's Republic of China 2009 4,900 (6,300 when complete) 18.7
11 Bratskaya Dam
Russia 1967 4,500 22.6
12 Ust Ilimskaya Russia 1980 4,320 21.7
13 Yaciretá Argentina Paraguay 1998 4,050 19.2 1,600
14 Tarbela Dam Pakistan 1976 3,478 13
15 Ertan Dam People's Republic of China 1999 3,300 (550×6) 17.0
16 Ilha Solteira Dam Brazil 1974 3,200

17 Xingó Brazil 1994/1997 3,162

18 Gezhouba Dam People's Republic of China 1988 3,115 17.01
19 Nurek Dam Tajikistan 1979/1988 3,000 11.2
20 La Grande-4 Canada 1986 2,779

21 W. A. C. Bennett Dam Canada 1968 2,730 13
22 Chief Joseph Dam United States 1958/73/79 2,620

23 Manic-5 and Manic-5-PA Canada 1968, 1989 2,592

24 Volzhskaya (Volgogradskaya) Russia 1961 2,572 12.3
25 Niagara Hydroelectric Power
United States 1961 2,515

26 Paulo Afonso Hydroelectric
Brazil 1955 2,462

27 Manuel M. Chicoasén Dam - Manuel M. Torres Mexico 1980 2,430

28 La Grande-3 Canada 1984 2,418

29 Tehri Dam India 2005 2,400 6.532
30 Atatürk Dam Turkey 1990 2,400 8.9
31 Volga Hydroelectric Station Russia 1957 2,300 10.5
32 Iron Gate I Hydroelectric Power Plant Romania Serbia 1970 2,192 13
33 Caruachi Hydroelectric Power Venezuela 2006 2,160 12.95
34 John Day Dam Hydroelectric Power United States 1949 2,160

35 La Grande-2-A generating station Canada 1992 2,106

36 Aswan Hydroelectric Dam Egypt 1970 2,100 11
37 Bath County Pumped Storage Station United States 1985 2,100 3.32
38 Itumbiara Hydroelectric Dam Brazil 1980 2,082

39 Hoover Hydroelectric Dam United States 1936/1961 2,080

40 Cahora Bassa Mozambique 1975 2,075

41 Grande Dixence Dam Switzerland 1965 2,069 4.51
42 The Dalles Hydroelectric Dam United States 1981 2,038

43 Bureya (Bureyskaya) Hydroelectric Dam Russia 2009 2,010

44 Karun-1 Dam - Shahid Abbaspour Dam Iran 1976 2,000

45 Masjed Soleyman Hydroelectric Dam Iran 2001 2,000

46 Karun-3 Dam Iran 2007 2,000 4.1
47 Lijiaxia Hydroelectric Dam People's Republic of China 2000 2,000