# Energy & Power Advanced

https://hienglishquiz.com/vocabulary/energy-and-power-c1

- CEFR: C1 (Advanced)
- Theme: Professional & Specialized
- Words: 20
- Premium: no
- Locked: no

The named parts an engineer points to on a hydropower or wind site, from the penstock, draft tube and surge tank to the wicket gate and nacelle, plus the…

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## Word list

* **penstock**: A large pipe that carries water down to the turbines of a hydropower plant under high pressure. — “The **penstock** ruptured under pressure, forcing an emergency shutdown of the plant.”
* **draft tube**: The flared duct fitted beneath a water turbine that slows the outgoing water and recovers extra energy from it. — “Cavitation damage was found inside the **draft tube** during the annual inspection.”
* **tailrace**: The channel that carries water away from a hydropower plant after it has passed through the turbines. — “Fish were often seen swimming in the **tailrace** just below the station.”
* **surge tank**: A tall vertical chamber built along a hydropower plant's water pipeline that absorbs sudden pressure changes when the flow changes quickly. — “Water rose sharply inside the **surge tank** the moment the turbine tripped offline.”
* **wicket gate**: One of a ring of adjustable vanes around a water turbine that controls how much water reaches it. — “Operators narrowed the **wicket gate** opening to reduce the turbine's output.”
* **headrace**: The open channel or tunnel that carries water from a reservoir or river to the entrance of a hydropower plant. — “Fallen branches kept blocking the trash screens at the **headrace** entrance.”
* **nacelle**: The enclosed compartment high above the ground on a wind turbine, just behind the blades, that holds the gearbox and generator. — “Technicians were winched up to the **nacelle** to replace a worn bearing.”
* **switchyard**: An outdoor area at a power plant or substation full of the heavy equipment that connects generators to the transmission network. — “Lightning struck a transformer in the **switchyard** during last night's storm.”
* **busbar**: A rigid metal rod inside an electrical switchyard or panel that several cables connect to, so current can pass between them. — “Corrosion on the **busbar** connections caused a serious overheating fault.”
* **load dispatch**: The ongoing decision about which power plants should run, and how much each should produce, to match supply with what customers need moment to moment. — “The operator adjusted the **load dispatch** overnight as wind output rose sharply.”
* **capacity factor**: The percentage of a power plant's maximum possible output that it actually produces on average over a period such as a year. — “The wind farm's **capacity factor** was lower than expected last winter.”
* **curtailment**: The deliberate reduction of a power plant's output below what it could produce, usually ordered by the grid operator when supply exceeds demand. — “The wind farm faced **curtailment** whenever the grid could not absorb its output.”
* **spinning reserve**: Extra generating capacity that is already running and synchronized with the grid, so it can supply more power within seconds if another plant suddenly fails. — “The utility kept a gas plant on **spinning reserve** all afternoon.”
* **black start**: Restoring a power plant and its section of the grid to operation after a total loss of electricity, using only the plant's own equipment rather than an outside supply. — “The hydropower station was chosen for its reliable **black start** ability.”
* **head**: The height difference between the water surface above a dam and the water surface below the turbines, which determines the pressure driving them. — “The dam's high **head** gives the plant much more pressure than a small station.”
* **governor**: A mechanical or electronic device on a turbine that automatically senses its speed and adjusts the flow reaching it to keep that speed steady. — “A faulty **governor** let the turbine's speed swing wildly after the load dropped.”
* **excitation**: The small direct-current supply fed into a generator's rotor to create the magnetic field needed for it to produce electricity. — “A fault in the **excitation** system caused the generator's voltage to collapse.”
* **feeder**: Electrical cabling that carries power out from a substation to a group of customers or a section of the network. — “A fallen tree brought down the **feeder** serving the whole village.”
* **derate**: To officially reduce the maximum output a piece of equipment is allowed to produce, usually because of heat, age or wear. — “Engineers had to **derate** the transformer after temperatures exceeded its design limit.”
* **wheeling**: The paid use of another company's power lines to carry electricity from where it is generated to a buyer elsewhere on the grid. — “The plant pays a **wheeling** charge to send power through the neighbouring grid.”

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