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Purpose The study aims to identify the severe socioeconomic, environmental, and ecological impacts caused by the construction of mega and large hydro-power plants in Uttarakhand, India. In addition to identifying the attributes, the study creates an integrated index that will assist in the development of sustainable hydro-power. Design/methodology/approach The methodology used for this impact identification was based on extensive literature review, focused expert discussions and further validation through a primary survey among the stakeholders in the hydropower sector. The sustainability index (SI) was estimated using the fuzzy logic theory. Findings The study area SI shows that few projects are in extreme zones, and through suggestive measures, few project sites can be made viable for long-term sustainable project site. A Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Protocol–based conceptual model is also proposed for mitigation of impacts. Originality/value Hydropower plays an essential role in access to cleaner and cheaper sources of energy; it defines the usage of water resources toward inflation-free green energy and holds spectacular operational flexibility. Despite the significant advantages associated with hydroelectric power projects, there are adverse side effects as well. The water-based power sector industry contributes to any nation through both economic and environmental ways. Although one-third of the power business in India is carried out through water-based hydropower projects, recent trends in water-based hydropower projects show significant socioeconomic and environmental impacts that create a debate about the sustainability of these projects.

1. Islands formed upstream of mega hydroelectric dams are excellent experimental landscapes to assess the impacts of habitat fragmentation on biodiversity. We examined the effects of plot-, patch- and landscape-scale variables on the patterns of floristic diversity across 34 forest islands that had experienced 26 years of isolation since the creation of the 4437 km2 Balbina Hydroelectric Reservoir of central Brazilian Amazonia. In addition, three undisturbed continuous forest sites in neighbouring mainland areas were also sampled across a comparable elevational gradient. 2. We identified all live trees ≥10 cm DBH at species level within a total of 87 quarter-hectare forest plots and conducted a comprehensive compilation of functional attributes of each tree species. We then examined species-area relationships (SARs) and the additional effects of patch and landscape-scale metrics on patterns of tree assemblage heterogeneity, both in terms of taxonomic and functional diversity. 3. Despite a clearly positive SAR, edge-mediated forest disturbance was the single most important driver of species composition and abundance within islands. Our results suggest that non-random floristic transitions within island plots followed a predictable pattern, with different life-history traits either penalizing or rewarding local persistence of different functional groups. Distance to edges mediated the probability of tree mortality induced by windfalls and episodic surface fires, clearly resulting in faster species turnover and unidirectional changes in guild structure within small islands where light-wooded fast-growing pioneers largely replaced heavy-wooded species of the old-growth flora. 4. Synthesis. Following a simultaneous 26-year post-isolation history, we disentangle the effects of habitat loss and insularization on tree assemblages within a large set of Amazonian 'true' forest islands, of variable sizes, sharing a uniform open-water matrix. Area effects are expressed via a response to edge effects, with trees in smaller islands being more vulnerable to edge-related surface fires and wind-throws. Additionally, forest edge effects can be a powerful driver of non-random floristic transitions across islands within the Balbina archipelago via a process of rapid pioneer proliferation, drastically affecting both the taxonomic and functional composition of insular tree communities. Finally, our results indicate that detrimental effects of forest fragmentation induced by hydroelectric dams are considerably stronger than those of forest patches embedded within a terrestrial vegetation matrix.

Hydropower plants cover almost 70% of the Colombian electrical demand, were built several decades ago, and present low levels of digitisation compared to other modern power-generation technologies, e.g., wind turbines, solar PV plants, and recently buil hydroelectric plants t. Renovating power plant equipment and investing in modernisation and digitisation can significantly increase the plant flexibility. Those actions will increase a plant’s operational safety and contribute to the solution of environmental and social problems. This work presents the actions followed to extend the lifetime of a 1000 MW hydropower plant operating for more than 40 years. Activities included a residual life status evaluation of generators and component upgrades, among others. The rehabilitation and digitalisation of the generation units allow their integration and remote monitoring so that diagnostic actions can be carried out during a continuous and economically sustainable operation. These activities complement the plan implemented by the company during the last decade to ensure the plant’s operation for another 50 years and its respective integration with nonconventional generation systems at the national level. Besides the generator’s life extension, the main result of rewinding is an increase in the Minimum Breakdown Voltage by almost 140% (from 38.4 kV to 95.6 kV) with respect to the current operation state, ensuring its operation for the following years.

The United Nations established 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and the fulfillment of the 7th, defined as “Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all”, requires energy industry transitions and digital transformations, which implies that diverse stakeholders need to move fast to allow the growth of more flexible power systems. This paper contains the case report that addresses the commercial digital transformation process developed at AES Colombia, through the implementation of a modern platform based on specialized applications that use Industry 4.0 tools. The Chivor hydropower project, a 1000-MW powerplant that covers 6% of Colombia’s demand, which is owned by AES Colombia and constitutes its primary asset, is first described. Then, a description of Colombia’s complex market (energy matrix, trading and dispatch mechanisms, and future projects) is presented. Then, the methodology followed for the digital transformation process using modern tools is described. The project, conceived as a broad framework, comprises applications for the management of hydrological, operational, and market information, commercial information systems and platforms to facilitate consultation and analysis by different users. Such an innovative project in the Latin American context has been developed in order reduce risks and to contribute to a sustainable energy supply for the future.

River damming by hydroelectric plants interrupts the continuity of rivers and causes the flooding of adjacent terrestrial ecosystems. Assessments of the impacts of major hydroelectric dams on species and the functional responses of communities to flooding are scarce. We used data from eight years of forest monitoring around a - 100-km section of the Madeira River upstream of the Santo Antônio Dam in southwestern Brazilian Amazonia to investigate the effects of forest inundation on estimates of functional diversity and frequency of trait occurrence in pre- and post-flooding anuran assemblages. Lowland forests hosted higher functional diversity and more unique functional composition than unflooded areas sampled before and after reservoir filling. Functional richness was not affected by reservoir filling. Frequencies of arboreal anurans that lay their eggs in tree cavities or water and those that complete larval development in water were higher in flooded forest plots. In unflooded plots during the post-filling stage, there was an increase in the average frequency of nocturnal anurans and a decline in the abundance of fossorial and diurnal species. The average frequency of large-bodied anurans increased after river damming to levels similar to those of flooded plots. Our study indicates that anurans whose reproductive modes are associated with riparian and floodplain forests are most sensitive to permanent reservoir flooding. We recommend that efforts to mitigate the effects of hydropower infrastructure should include the protection of intact seasonally flooded lowland forests.

Sustainable resource and environmental development has become a crucial scientific issue that urgently needs to be addressed. Hence, the issue of green social responsibility has undergone profound exploration. Hydropower engineering, as a significant clean energy source, exhibits promising prospects for fulfilling green social responsibilities. This article analyzed the causal mechanism and behavioral evolution of green social responsibility fulfillment in hydropower between China and the United States by employing event causality extraction, content analysis, and system dynamics as research methodologies. This study revealed a causal relationship between the fulfillment of green social responsibilities in hydropower projects and ethical governance, green development, and risk response. Through the content analysis of the causal relationships, it was found that China expressed a strong emotional inclination toward green development, whereas the United States showed positive values in terms of risk response. Through the simulation of system dynamics, this study found that the causal driving mechanisms of the two countries were generally favorable at different dimensional levels. Among them, under endogenous driving forces, the promoting effect of ethical governance and green development by risk response was more obvious. Under basic driving forces, green development has the most significant driving effect on the fulfillment of green social responsibilities in both countries.

Building Information Modelling (BIM) has emerged as a transformative force in the construction industry, gaining traction within the hydropower sector. This study critically examines the adoption and application of BIM throughout the entire lifecycle of hydropower projects, addressing a notable gap in existing research, to encompass a holistic approach to the management and resilience of these critical infrastructures. The objective is to delineate the comprehensive range of BIM applications, use cases, and adoption, integrating technologies including Digital Twin, UAV, GIS, and simulation tools, across components of hydropower projects. Employing a systematic search paired with a critical review of the selected literature, this study meticulously evaluates significant contributions in this domain. Through thematic analysis, the multifaceted utility of BIM in hydropower structures, including an in-depth evaluation of its current adoption within the industry, is presented. This encompasses an analysis of both benefits and challenges inherent in BIM implementation for hydropower infrastructures. This study is a significant contribution to understanding how BIM can be leveraged to enhance the resilience of hydropower infrastructures. It provides a comprehensive view of BIM’s applications, challenges, and future potential, guiding stakeholders in adopting strategies that ensure these structures withstand, adapt, and recover from disruptions while maintaining sustainable and efficient operations.

Increasing water withdrawals from many rivers of the world is leading to severe degradation in river ecosystems. Water is allocated for environmental needs so that a river can perform its natural functions. Environmental flows (EF) try to strike a balance between the use of water of a river for economic development, societal needs and delivering ecosystem services. This article describes a framework to assess environmental flows for a hydropower project in India in a situation where limited hydrological and very limited ecosystem data are available. It recommends that in such a situation, an acceptable EF regime can be arrived at by analysing hydrological data, supplemented by whatever ecosystem data are available and creating various scenarios of EFs. Benefits and impacts of different EF scenarios can then form the basis to determine an appropriate EF regime. Application of the framework is demonstrated in a case study in India. Adaptive management, where feedbacks are used to update and improve the decisions is helpful in such situations.

Due to complex engineering geological and hydrological conditions and proximity to the dam site, the Zhoujia landslide has a potential instability risk, which poses a significant threat to the safety of the downstream hydropower station. In this study, a comprehensive assessment of the deformation characteristics and failure mechanisms of the landslide is conducted through field investigations, in situ monitoring data, and numerical simulations. The results indicate that the Zhoujia landslide is a giant ancient accumulation-landslide currently in the creep deformation stage. The deformations are mainly concentrated in Zone B1, which shows a tendency of frontal traction and rearward tearing and no sign of convergence yet. Meanwhile, Zones A and B2 show smaller and converging deformations. The correlation analysis reveals that rainfall is the primary triggering factor for landslide deformations, with a time delay of 1–2 months. Preliminary judgment based on numerical simulation of the landslide’s plastic zone indicates the Zhoujia landslide exhibits typical layered failure characteristics. Three potential failure patterns of Zone B1 are identified: sliding along the shallow gravel silt layer, sliding along the deep gravel silt layer, and overall sliding along the bottom sliding zone. The study’s findings will provide guidelines for early warning and engineering control of the Zhoujia landslide during the construction and after the completion of the Kala Hydropower Project.