hydroelectric
adjective
hy·dro·elec·tric ˌhī-drō-i-ˈlek-trik 
: of or relating to production of electricity by waterpower
constructed a hydroelectric power plant at the dam site
hydroelectrically
ˌhī-drō-i-ˈlek-tri-k(ə-)lē
adverb hydroelectricity
ˌhī-drō-i-ˌlek-ˈtri-sə-tē
noun -ˈtri-stē
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The prime component of most hydroelectric systems is a dam. A high dam funnels water downward at high pressure to spin turbines, which in turn drive generators to produce high-voltage electricity. Mountainous countries with rushing rivers can produce the most hydroelectricity. Though hydroelectricity comes from a clean and completely renewable energy source, dams disrupt natural systems in a way that disturbs environmentalists.
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web Song said the company was drawn to Cherokee County because of the TVA’s supply of renewable energy, created by hydroelectric dams as well as other methods. 
Rekha Tenjarla, Washington Post, 31 Aug. 2022 Hot weather is boosting energy demand, curtailing generation from hydroelectric dams and complicating efforts to transport coal to power plants by river. WSJ, 17 Aug. 2022 In 2020, renewables – including wind, hydroelectric, solar, biomass, and geothermal energy – became the second most prominent electric-power source in the United States after natural gas, according to the Energy Information Administration. Stephanie Hanes, The Christian Science Monitor, 30 June 2022 That way, as the grid carries more and more energy from photovoltaic, wind, hydroelectric, tidal and nuclear sources, our appliances, cars and HVAC systems will be poised to operate on net-zero-emissions technologies. The Editors, Scientific American, 21 June 2022 Some coal plants have been reopened just to power crypto transactions (and coal is a dirtier source of energy than renewable sources such as solar, wind, hydroelectric). Jayme Deerwester, USA TODAY, 22 Apr. 2022 Renewable sources accounting for the remaining 11% of production were from solar, hydroelectric, wind and biomass plants. Meredith Cohn, Baltimore Sun, 21 Apr. 2022 Around 63 percent of our renewable energy comes from far more useful geothermal, hydroelectric, and biomass sources. David Harsanyi, National Review, 1 Mar. 2022 Although hydroelectric, bioenergy, geothermal and even, in some countries, nuclear power, will play a role, the central technologies the world will rely upon are solar and wind power. Paul Hockenos, CNN, 23 Feb. 2022 See More
Rekha Tenjarla, Washington Post, 31 Aug. 2022 Hot weather is boosting energy demand, curtailing generation from hydroelectric dams and complicating efforts to transport coal to power plants by river. WSJ, 17 Aug. 2022 In 2020, renewables – including wind, hydroelectric, solar, biomass, and geothermal energy – became the second most prominent electric-power source in the United States after natural gas, according to the Energy Information Administration. Stephanie Hanes, The Christian Science Monitor, 30 June 2022 That way, as the grid carries more and more energy from photovoltaic, wind, hydroelectric, tidal and nuclear sources, our appliances, cars and HVAC systems will be poised to operate on net-zero-emissions technologies. The Editors, Scientific American, 21 June 2022 Some coal plants have been reopened just to power crypto transactions (and coal is a dirtier source of energy than renewable sources such as solar, wind, hydroelectric). Jayme Deerwester, USA TODAY, 22 Apr. 2022 Renewable sources accounting for the remaining 11% of production were from solar, hydroelectric, wind and biomass plants. Meredith Cohn, Baltimore Sun, 21 Apr. 2022 Around 63 percent of our renewable energy comes from far more useful geothermal, hydroelectric, and biomass sources. David Harsanyi, National Review, 1 Mar. 2022 Although hydroelectric, bioenergy, geothermal and even, in some countries, nuclear power, will play a role, the central technologies the world will rely upon are solar and wind power. Paul Hockenos, CNN, 23 Feb. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
International Scientific Vocabulary
First Known Use
1884, in the meaning defined above
Kids Definition
hydroelectric
adjective
hy·dro·elec·tric ˌhī-drō-i-ˈlek-trik
: relating to or used in the making of electricity by waterpower
hydroelectric power