[Owl558]

“We should be using more hydroelectric here.”

In Scotland, I beleive, they have a hydroelectric plant that consists of 2 lakes at different altitudes with the power plat in between. During the day, when demand is high, the electricity generated goes out on the grid. At night, when demand is low, the electricity is used to pump the water from the lower lake back up to the upper lake to get ready for the next day. You basically have a closed, self-sustaining electrical generating system.

Why not here?

[cripplecreek]

Why not here?

Actually that's a pretty specific application for places that aren't in the best locations for hydroelectric. In most places the flow is pretty constant so there's no need to pump water back up to a higher level.

There are a few power plants like you describe in the USA. There are a couple of pumpstorage dams along the Lake Michigan. Now they're using windmills to pump water in and calling them wind power but the water flowing out is what actually produces the electricity.

[Smokin' Joe]

There is one of those in Bath County, Virginia.