Sir Adam Beck Hydroelectric Generating Stations, Hydroelectric power station in Niagara Falls, Canada
Sir Adam Beck Hydroelectric Generating Stations include two main powerhouses and a pump station that divert water through underground tunnels beneath Niagara Falls. The penstocks carry the water to turbine halls on the shore of Lake Ontario, where generators produce power for millions of households.
The first station opened in 1921 and became the largest hydroelectric facility in the world, built by ten thousand workers. A second station followed later, expanding the system and securing power generation for Ontario's growing population.
The facilities are named after Adam Beck, who championed public electricity in Ontario. Today the turbine halls recall the early industrialization of the Niagara region, when waterpower became the engine for factories and households alike.
The stations lie along the Niagara River Parkway between the falls and Lake Ontario, roughly 4.3 miles (7 kilometers) downstream. Visitor parking is nearby and information panels explain how the facilities operate in the outdoor areas.
The reservoir stores water diverted overnight and releases it during the day when electricity demand peaks. This allows the facility to respond flexibly to demand shifts without constantly drawing the same volume from the river.
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