Some hydropower plants use pumped storage systems. A pumped storage system operates much like a public fountain does; the same water is used again and again.
At a pumped storage hydropower plant, flowing water is used to make
electricity and then stored in a lower pool. Depending on how much
electricity is needed, the water may be pumped back to an upper pool.
Pumping water to the upper pool requires electricity so hydro plants usually
use pumped storage systems only when there is peak demand for electricity.
Pumped hydro is the most reliable energy storage system used by American
electric utilities. Coal and nuclear power plants have no energy storage
systems. They must turn to gas and oil-fired generators when people demand
lots of electricity. They also have no way to store any extra energy they
might produce during normal generating periods.
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