Largest Power Stations Capacity Comparison (MW)
Compare the 10 largest power stations by nameplate capacity, from Three Gorges at 22,500 MW to Krasnoyarsk at 6,000. MW totals with operator sources listed.
Visual comparison
All values
Click any row to load it as Entry A.
| Name | Value | Context | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Three Gorges Dam Largest power station in the world. | 22,500 megawatts | Yangtze, China, hydro, 2012 full | CTG Three Gorges spec: 22,500 MW nameplate |
| Baihetan Dam Second largest since 2022. | 16,000 megawatts | Jinsha River, China, hydro, 2022 full | Baihetan operator spec: 16,000 MW nameplate |
| Itaipu Dam Held lead before Three Gorges. | 14,000 megawatts | Parana River, Brazil and Paraguay, hydro | Itaipu Binacional spec: 14,000 MW nameplate |
| Xiluodu Dam 140 under Itaipu. | 13,860 megawatts | Jinsha River, China, hydro | Xiluodu operator spec: 13,860 MW nameplate |
| Belo Monte Dam Run of river with seasonal output. | 11,233 megawatts | Xingu River, Brazil, hydro | Norte Energia Belo Monte spec: 11,233 MW nameplate |
| Guri Dam 998 under Belo Monte. | 10,235 megawatts | Caroni River, Venezuela, hydro | Edelca Guri spec: 10,235 MW nameplate |
| Tucurui Dam Largest wholly Brazilian here. | 8,370 megawatts | Tocantins River, Brazil, hydro | Eletrobras Tucurui spec: 8,370 MW nameplate |
| Grand Coulee Dam Largest in the United States. | 6,809 megawatts | Columbia River, USA, hydro | USBR Grand Coulee spec: 6,809 MW nameplate |
| Longtan Dam 383 under Grand Coulee. | 6,426 megawatts | Hongshui River, China, hydro | Longtan operator spec: 6,426 MW nameplate |
| Krasnoyarsk Dam Smallest row here. | 6,000 megawatts | Yenisei River, Russia, hydro | Krasnoyarsk operator spec: 6,000 MW nameplate |
About this converter
Three Gorges runs 22,500 MW nameplate, 6,500 clear of Baihetan at 16,000. Itaipu at 14,000, Xiluodu at 13,860, Belo Monte at 11,233 and Guri at 10,235 follow. Tucurui at 8,370, Grand Coulee at 6,809, Longtan at 6,426 and Krasnoyarsk at 6,000 close the table. Nameplate means max turbine sum, not yearly output. Rivers decide rank here since all 10 are hydro. Annual energy crowns shift with rainfall even when nameplate order holds.
How to use it
Pick two stations and a unit in the top row. The three boxes below stay linked. Change any box and the other two update. Try Three Gorges against Grand Coulee to see the triple gap. The bars below scale to Three Gorges so Krasnoyarsk looks thin next to it. Switch the unit to gigawatts for short figures. Ratios are exact divisions of the nameplate totals.
Nameplate vs output splits this table. Itaipu often beats Three Gorges in yearly energy on steadier river flow despite lower nameplate. Belo Monte runs seasonal with lower firm output than its 11,233 suggests. Figures follow operator nameplates. New units add megawatts, so totals move with commissioning.
FAQ
What is the largest power station?
Three Gorges at 22,500 MW nameplate. Baihetan follows at 16,000.
Is nameplate the same as output?
No. Nameplate is max sum. Yearly energy follows river flow, so Itaipu often tops Three Gorges per year.
What is the largest in the US?
Grand Coulee at 6,809 MW. Eighth here.
Are all top 10 hydro?
Yes. No thermal or nuclear station reaches 6,000 MW single site nameplate.
Sources
- Operator nameplates: Three Gorges 22,500; Baihetan 16,000; Itaipu 14,000; Xiluodu 13,860; Belo Monte 11,233; Guri 10,235; Tucurui 8,370; Grand Coulee 6,809; Longtan 6,426; Krasnoyarsk 6,000 MW
Last verified: 2026-10-09 · 10 entries
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