Types Of Power Plant
Different Types of Power Plant for energy generation
- Nuclear power plants
- Hydroelectric power plants
- Coal-fired power plants
- Diesel-fired power plants
- Geothermal power plants
- Gas-fired power plants
- Solar power plants
- Wind power plants
- Tidal power plants
- Nuclear Power Plants:
Using a nuclear fission reaction and uranium as fuel, nuclear power plants generate a high amount of electricity.

As nuclear power plants are considered to be a low-carbon energy source, the technology is widely thought of as a more environmentally-friendly option.
When compared to renewable sources of energy such as solar and wind, the power generation from nuclear power plants is also considered to be more reliable.
Although the investment required to bring a nuclear power plant online is significant, the costs involved in operating them are relatively low.
Nuclear energy sources also have a higher density than fossil fuels and release large amounts of energy.
Due to this, nuclear power plants require low quantities of fuel but produce a vast amount of power, making them particularly efficient once they are up and running.
- Hydroelectric Power Plants

Compared to fossil fuel-powered energy plants, hydroelectric power plants emit fewer greenhouse gases. But the construction of hydroelectric power plants and dams requires huge investment.
According to the International Hydropower Association’s 2017 Hydropower Status Report, an estimated 31.5 gigawatts (GW) of hydropower capacity was put into operation in 2016, bringing the world’s cumulative installed capacity to 1,246 GW.
China alone accounted for almost one-third of global hydropower capacity and added about 11.74 GW of new capacity in 2016.
- Coal-Fired Power Plants:

According to the World Coal Association, coal-fired power plants accounted for about 37% of global electricity in 2018, with China possessing the world’s largest fleet.
Coal-fired power plants use steam coal as a source to generate electricity and consequently emit a significant number of harmful gases into the atmosphere.
In a bid to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, many developed nations have already announced plans to phase out coal-fired power plants.
Canada plans to phase out its coal plants by 2030, while the UK has set a deadline of 2025 and Germany is aiming to remove the technology from its electricity grid by 2038. A number of other European countries are expected to follow suit soon.
- Diesel-Fired Power Plants:

Using diesel as the fuel, this type of power plant is used for the small-scale production of electric power.
They are installed in places where there is no easy availability of alternative power sources and are mainly used as a backup for uninterrupted power supply whenever there are outages.