Abstract
This study was conducted to investigate the effect of hydropower factors (watershed, gross head), operation ratio and unit electricity cost on the benefit-cost ratio (B/C ratio) of small hydropower using agricultural reservoirs. The equation of B/C ratio was expressed as a function of watershed area, gross head, operation ratio and unit electricity cost. The benefit increased with watershed area, gross head and unit electricity cost, while the cost increased with watershed area and gross head but decreased with operation ratio. The B/C ratio increased with watershed area, gross head, operation ratio and unit electricity cost. While the effect of gross head on the B/C ratio decreased with watershed area, the effect of operation ratio and unit electricity cost on the B/C ratio increased with watershed area. The operation ratio is an important factor to affect the B/C ratio and therefore we need to develop hydropower for the heightened dams to expect high operation ratio due to continuous water release. The unit electricity cost is also an important factor to affect the B/C ratio and the B/C ratio was always below 1 unless unit electricity cost is over 60 Won/kWh under given conditions. The reservoirs with economic feasibility for small hydropower development were three in 21 when the equation of B/C ratio was appled to the study reservoirs. The results can be used to choose the appropriate reservoir with economic feasibility for development of small hydropower.