Small Hydropower Plants

Small Hydropower Plants (SHPPs) have a potential between 5 and 30 MW, and the reservoir covers an area of only 13 km². Brazil has 436 SHPPs in operation, with a capacity of 4.95 GW, which accounts for 3.3% of the electrical energy matrix. Also, the installation of 160 projects with a power output of 2.1 GW is underway (Aneel).

In the next energy auctions, scheduled for December, 69 projects with a potential for electricity generation of 0.94 GW, in the first auction, and 66 projects with a generation potential of 1.04 GW in the second auction were registered (EPE).

Rio Grande do Sul’s geographic conditions favor the establishment of SHPPs, with valleys that facilitate the installation of reservoirs and 25 hydrographic basins. Only part of its basins were registered, and a potential of 3.0 GW was identified (EPE).

The State has 53 SHPPs in operation, with 0.6 GW, which account for 12% of Brazil’s potential. Fifteen projects (with a potential of 0.2 GW) are under construction. (Aneel).

Sector Opportunities

• Rio Grande do Sul’s Program of Incentive to Small Hydropower Plants, within the scope of the Program RS Renewable Energies, has 91 projects of SHP)s with economic and environmental viability. Investments of R$ 3 billion will be required.

Business opportunities for partnerships

Look for local opportunities.