What are the main maintenance challenges in hydroelectric power plants?
Hydropower facilities play a critical role in global clean energy generation, but they are constantly exposed to severe mechanical, hydraulic, and environmental stresses. These include:
- Cavitation damage on turbines, guide vanes, and wicket gates
- Erosion and abrasion from high-velocity water flow, silt, and debris
- Corrosion of penstocks, steel structures, and valves
- Moisture ingress and fatigue in damp or submerged systems
- Concrete degradation in spillways, canals, and control structures
If not addressed effectively, these issues can result in equipment failure, reduced energy output, increased safety risks, and unplanned downtime.
