Largest Hydroelectric Power Stations in the World 2026

Source: Wikipedia, List of largest power stations

Largest Hydroelectric Power Stations in the World 2026

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Key Findings

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Three Gorges (China) leads in Installed Capacity (MW) with 22,500 in 2026.

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Average Installed Capacity (MW) in 2026: 12,101 · median: 10,734.

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Gap in 2026: Three Gorges (China) is 3.3× larger than Grand Coulee (United States).

About This Dataset

Largest Hydroelectric Power Stations in the World 2026

The biggest conventional hydroelectric dams in operation in 2026, ranked by installed capacity in megawatts. Run-of-river and pumped-storage plants are listed separately because they work differently: these are reservoir dams that store water behind a wall and release it through turbines.

Analysis

Three Gorges in China is the largest at 22,500 MW, 1.41 times the 16,000 MW of Baihetan Dam. The 10 stations here total 121,005 MW. 5 of them are in China, and 5 countries are represented in total. The smallest on the chart, Grand Coulee, is rated at 6,809 MW, 30% of the leader.

Data Insights Below

Data Insights

Numbers, trends & sources behind this chart

Admin

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Data Points

10 categories · 1 year

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Top Value

22,500

Three Gorges (China)

Installed Capacity (MW) · 2026

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Metrics

Installed Capacity (MW)

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Period

2026

Single year snapshot

Methodology & source

Data source: Wikipedia, List of largest power stations
Coverage: 10 entities · 2026 · 10 observations
Measure: Installed Capacity (MW)
Last updated: 7 September 2026
Compiled by: The ANYSTAT team, from the source above

How the figures are calculated

Values use the measure and unit named on this page. Consult the dataset description and cited source for coverage, definitions and any unit conversions. Displayed values may be rounded for readability.
Entities are ranked highest-first on their value in 2026.

Rankings & Full Data

10 records · Installed Capacity (MW) · ranked by 2026

✓ 10 sourced

#	Category	2026
🥇	Three Gorges (China)	22,500
🥈	Baihetan Dam (China)	16,000
🥉	Itaipu (Brazil / Paraguay)	14,000
4	Xiluodu (China)	13,860
5	Belo Monte (Brazil)	11,233
6	Guri (Venezuela)	10,235
7	Wudongde (China)	10,200
8	Tucuruí (Brazil)	8,370
9	Xiangjiaba (China)	7,798
10	Grand Coulee (United States)	6,809

Data Sources & References

All external sources cited in this dataset

1 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_largest_power_stations Visit ↗

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APA

ANYSTAT. (2026). Largest Hydroelectric Power Stations in the World 2026 [Data set]. Data: Wikipedia, List of largest power stations. https://anystat.ai/stats/1650/largest-hydroelectric-power-stations-in-the-world-2026-1788797790

MLA

"Largest Hydroelectric Power Stations in the World 2026." ANYSTAT, 7 Sep. 2026, https://anystat.ai/stats/1650/largest-hydroelectric-power-stations-in-the-world-2026-1788797790.

Link for your website

<a href="https://anystat.ai/stats/1650/largest-hydroelectric-power-stations-in-the-world-2026-1788797790">Largest Hydroelectric Power Stations in the World 2026</a> (ANYSTAT)

Largest Hydroelectric Power Stations in the World 2026