Map
The following is a list of hydroelectric power stations in Portugal.
| Name | River | District | Commissioned | Capacity (MW) | Annual generation (GWh) | Type of dam | Height (m) | Length (m) | Volume (m³) | Normal elevation (m) | Surface area (km2) | Total capacity (Mio. m³) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aguieira [A 1] | Mondego | Coimbra | 1981 | 336 P | 209.9 | Arch | 89 | 400 | 365,000 | 117 | 20 | 423 |
| Alqueva [A 1] | Guadiana | Beja | 2004 2013 | 259.2 P 260 P | 269 470 | Arch | 96 | 458 | 687,000 | 152 | 250 | 4,150 |
| Alto Lindoso [A 1] | Limia | Viana do Castelo | 1992 | 630 P | 933.8 | Arch | 110 | 297 | 308,500 | 338 | 1.05 | 379 |
| Alto Rabagão [A 1] | Rabagão | Vila Real | 1964 | 68 P | 85.2 | Arch | 94 | 1,970 | 1,117,000 | 880 | 22.12 | 568.69 |
| Andorinhas | Ave | Braga | 1945 | 8.8 | 19 | Gravity | 25 | 103.5 | 12,000 | 185.7 | 0.21 | 1.2 |
| Arade | Arade | Faro | 1956 | 1.35 | Embankment | 50 | 246 | 654,000 | 61 | 1.82 | 28.389 | |
| Belver | Tagus | Portalegre | 1952 | 80.7 | 220 | Gravity | 30 | 327.5 | 90,000 | 46.15 | 2.86 | 12.5 |
| Bemposta | Douro | Bragança | 1964 | 431 | 1.058 | Arch | 87 | 297 | 316,000 | 402 | 4.05 | 129 |
| Bouçã | Zêzere | Leiria | 1955 | 50 | 153.2 | Arch | 63 | 175 | 70,000 | 175 | 5 | 48.4 |
| Bouçoais-Sonim | Rabaçal | Vila Real | 2004 | 10 | 30 | Gravity | 43 | 87 | 19,500 | 334 | 0.0153 | 1.365 |
| Cabril | Zêzere | Leiria | 1954 | 108 | 304.8 | Arch | 132 | 290 | 360,000 | 294 | 20.23 | 720 |
| Caldeirão | Caldeirão | Guarda | 1993 | 40 | 48.7 | Arch | 39 | 122 | 26,000 | 702 | 0.66 | 5.52 |
| Caniçada | Cávado | Braga | 1955 | 62 | 337.4 | Arch | 76 | 246 | 90,000 | 162 | 6.89 | 170.6 |
| Carrapatelo | Douro | Porto | 1971 | 201 | 806.1 | Gravity | 57 | 400 | 190,000 | 46.5 | 9.52 | 148.4 |
| Castelo do Bode | Zêzere | Santarém | 1951 | 159 | 396.5 | Arch-gravity | 115 | 402 | 430,000 | 121 | 32.91 | 1,095 |
| Catapereiro | Teja | Guarda | 1999 | 4 | Gravity | 37.5 | 134.4 | 427.5 | 0.435 | 4.0853 | ||
| Cercosa | Alfusqueiro | Viseu | 1994 | 3.923 | 9.65 | Gravity | 15.7 | 72 | 371 | 0.02 | 0.06 | |
| Covão do Ferro | Alforfa | Cast. Branco | 1956 | 1,2 | 2,4 | Gravity | 32,5 | 400 | 111.000 | 1,573.4 | 0.065 | 1.1 |
| Crestuma–Lever | Douro | Porto | 1985 | 117 | 360 | Gravity | 25.5 | 470 | 205,000 | 13 | 12.98 | 110 |
| Frades II [A 1] [1] [2] [3] [4] | 2017 | 880 / 780 P | 420 | |||||||||
| Fratel | Tejo | Portalegre | 1973 | 132 | 357.9 | Gravity | 48 | 240 | 124,000 | 74 | 10 | 92.5 |
| Freigil | Cabrum | Viseu | 1955 | 4.6 | 10.3 | Gravity | 17 | 73 | 317 | 0.033 | 0.14 | |
| Gameiro | Raia | Évora | 1960 | 0.46 | 0.54 | Embankment Gravity | 20 | 293 | 39,000 11,000 | 62 | 0.072 | 1.3 |
| Guilhofrei | Ave | Braga | 1938 | 4.6 (Guilho.) 10 (Ermal) | 11 29 | Gravity | 49 | 190 | 55,000 | 333.3 | 1.63 | 21.2 |
| Idanha | Pônsul | Cast. Branco | 1947 | 2.5 | 4.5 | Gravity | 51 | 143 | 66,000 | 255.5 | 6.78 | 78.1 |
| Lagoa Comprida | Lagoa | Guarda | 1966 | 0.6 (Lagoa.) 12.8 (Sabug.) | 1.7 48 | Gravity | 29 | 1,200 | 100,000 | 1,600 | 0.75 | 13.8 |
| Maranhão | Seda | Portalegre | 1957 | 2 | 3 | Embankment | 55 | 204 | 592,000 | 130 | 19.6 | 205.4 |
| Miranda | Douro | Bragança | 1960 | 369 | 897.8 | Buttress | 80 | 263 | 240,000 | 528.05 | 1.22 | 28.1 |
| Montargil | Sor | Portalegre | 1958 | 5.9 | Embankment | 48 | 427 | 858,000 | 80 | 16.46 | 164.3 | |
| Nunes | Tuela | Bragança | 1995 | 9.9 | 41.56 | Arch-gravity | 21.5 | 65.5 | 535.5 | 0.138 | ||
| Odeáxere | Odeáxere | Faro | 1958 | 0.61 | 1 | Arch | 41 | 150 | 84.1 | 2.85 | 34.825 | |
| Paradela | Cávado | Vila Real | 1956 | 54 | 256.7 | CFRD | 112 | 540 | 2,700,000 | 740 | 3.8 | 164.4 |
| Pedrógão | Guadiana | Beja | 2005 | 10 | 45 | Gravity | 43 | 448 | 340,000 | 84.80 | 11.04 | 106 |
| Pego do Altar | Alcáçovas | Setúbal | 1949 | 2 | 3 | CFRD | 63 | 192 | 371,000 | 52.26 | 6.55 | 94 |
| Penide | Cávado | Braga | 1951 | 4.872 | 22.3 | Masonry | 21 | 51 | 9,000 | 16.7 | 0.69 | 0.5 |
| Picote | Douro | Bragança | 1958 2011 | 195 246 | 868.6 244 | Arch | 100 | 139 | 205,000 | 471 | 2.44 | 63 |
| Pocinho | Douro | Guarda | 1982 | 186 | 408.4 | Gravity | 49 | 430 | 120,000 | 125.5 | 8.29 | 83 |
| Poio | Nisa | Portalegre | 1932 | 1.5 | 4.8 | Gravity | 18 | 278 | 8,000 | 1.1 | 6.4 | |
| Póvoa | Nisa | Portalegre | 1928 | 0.8 | 2.1 | Gravity | 32 | 400 | 32,000 | 312 | 2.36 | 22 |
| Pracana | Ocreza | Santarém | 1950 | 41 | 63.8 | Buttress | 60 | 245.5 | 144,000 | 114 | 5.5 | 111.9 |
| Raiva | Mondego | Coimbra | 1981 | 24 | 44.9 | Gravity | 36 | 200 | 85,000 | 61.5 | 2.3 | 24.11 |
| Rebordelo | Rabaçal | Bragança | 2004 | 8.75 | 24 | Gravity | 35.5 | 127 | 19,000 | 380 | 0.46 | 3.13 |
| Régua | Douro | Vila Real | 1973 | 156 | 738 | Gravity | 41 | 350 | 108.000 | 8,5 | 95 | |
| Salamonde | Cávado | Braga | 1953 2015 | 42 244 / 207 P | 231.2 386 | Arch | 75 | 284 | 93,000 | 280.5 | 2.42 | 65 |
| Santa Clara | Mira | Beja | 1968 | 1.9 | Embankment | 87 | 428 | 3,966,000 | 130 | 19.86 | 485 | |
| Santa Luzia | Unhais | Coimbra | 1942 | 25.888 | 54 | Arch | 76 | 115 | 80,000 | 656 | 2.46 | 53.7 |
| Senhora de Monforte | Côa | Guarda | 1993 | 10 | 32.9 | Gravity | 20 | 78 | 6,800 | 435 | 0.023 | 0.0873 |
| Serra Serrada | Andorinhas | Bragança | 1989 | 3.4 | 8.71 | Gravity | 25 | 170 | 14,600 | 1,252 | 0.2647 | 1.68 |
| Sordo | Sordo | Vila Real | 1997 | 10 | 25 | Gravity | 36 | 108 | 35,000 | 522.5 | 0.084 | 1 |
| Torrão [A 1] | Tâmega | Porto | 1988 | 140 P | 222.3 | Gravity | 69 | 218 | 224,415 | 65 | 6.5 | 124 |
| Touvedo | Limia | Viana do Castelo | 1993 | 22 | 66.8 | Gravity | 42.5 | 133.5 | 74,620 | 50 | 1.72 | 15.5 |
| Vale do Gaio | Xarrama | Setúbal | 1949 | 1.02 | 1.2 | Embankment | 51 | 368 | 636,000 | 40.5 | 5.5 | 63 |
| Valeira | Douro | Viseu | 1975 | 240 | 610.7 | Gravity | 48 | 380 | 220,000 | 105 | 7.95 | 97 |
| Varosa | Varosa | Viseu | 1934 | 25 | 60 | Arch | 76 | 213 | 81,000 | 264 | 0.7 | 12.943 |
| Venda Nova [A 1] | Rabagão | Braga | 1951 2004 2015 | 90 194.2 P 746 P | 383.9 220 1,441 | Arch-gravity | 97 | 230 | 228,000 | 700 | 4 | 94.5 |
| Vilar | Távora | Viseu | 1965 | 58 | 137.6 | Embankment | 58 | 240 | 300,000 | 552 | 6.7 | 99.75 |
| Vilarinho das Furnas [A 1] | Homem | Braga | 1972 1987 | 67,7 73,6 P | 189 | Arch | 94 | 385 | 294,000 | 569.5 | 3.46 | 117.69 |
Small hydro is the development of hydroelectric power on a scale suitable for local community and industry, or to contribute to distributed generation in a regional electricity grid. Exact definitions vary, but a "small hydro" project is less than 50 megawatts (MW), and can be further subdivide by scale into "mini" (<1MW), "micro" (<100 kW), "pico" (<10 kW). In contrast many hydroelectric projects are of enormous size, such as the generating plant at the Three Gorges Dam at 22,500 megawatts or the vast multiple projects of the Tennessee Valley Authority.
Pumped-storage hydroelectricity (PSH), or pumped hydroelectric energy storage (PHES), is a type of hydroelectric energy storage used by electric power systems for load balancing. The method stores energy in the form of gravitational potential energy of water, pumped from a lower elevation reservoir to a higher elevation. Low-cost surplus off-peak electric power is typically used to run the pumps. During periods of high electrical demand, the stored water is released through turbines to produce electric power. Although the losses of the pumping process make the plant a net consumer of energy overall, the system increases revenue by selling more electricity during periods of peak demand, when electricity prices are highest. If the upper lake collects significant rainfall or is fed by a river then the plant may be a net energy producer in the manner of a traditional hydroelectric plant.
Hydroelectricity, or hydroelectric power, is electricity generated from hydropower. Hydropower supplies one sixth of the world's electricity, almost 4500 TWh in 2020, which is more than all other renewable sources combined and also more than nuclear power. Hydropower can provide large amounts of low-carbon electricity on demand, making it a key element for creating secure and clean electricity supply systems. A hydroelectric power station that has a dam and reservoir is a flexible source, since the amount of electricity produced can be increased or decreased in seconds or minutes in response to varying electricity demand. Once a hydroelectric complex is constructed, it produces no direct waste, and almost always emits considerably less greenhouse gas than fossil fuel-powered energy plants. However, when constructed in lowland rainforest areas, where part of the forest is inundated, substantial amounts of greenhouse gases may be emitted.
India is 5th globally for installed hydroelectric power capacity. As of 31 March 2020, India's installed utility-scale hydroelectric capacity was 46,000 MW, or 12.3% of its total utility power generation capacity. Additional smaller hydroelectric power units with a total capacity of 4,683 MW have been installed. India's hydroelectric power potential is estimated at 148,700 MW at 60% load factor. In the fiscal year 2019–20, the total hydroelectric power generated in India was 156 TWh with an average capacity factor of 38.71%.
The Silin Dam is a concrete gravity dam on the Wu River in Sinan County, Guizhou Province, China. The dam has an associated hydroelectric power plant with a 1,080 MW capacity utilizing 4 x 270 MW Francis turbine-generators. The dam is 310 m (1,017 ft) long, 117 m (384 ft) high and composed of roller-compacted concrete. Its reservoir has a 1,205,000,000 m3 (976,909 acre⋅ft) capacity, 184,000,000 m3 (149,171 acre⋅ft) of which is flood storage. The dam also supports ship lift. Construction on the dam began in October 2004, the dam began to impound the river in March 2008 and by May 2009, the power plant's first generator was operational. The remaining generators were operational by December 2009.
The Minghu Dam (Chinese: 明湖水壩; pinyin: Mínghú Shuǐbà, renamed the Takuan Dam, is a concrete gravity dam on the Shuili River located 7 km north of Shuili Township in Nantou County, Taiwan. The reservoir formed by the dam serves as the lower reservoir for the Minhu Pumped Storage Hydro Power Station. Sun Moon Lake serves as the upper reservoir.
As of 2018, hydroelectric power stations in the United Kingdom accounted for 1.87 GW of installed electrical generating capacity, being 2.2% of the UK's total generating capacity and 4.2% of UK's renewable energy generating capacity. This includes four conventional hydroelectric power stations and run-of-river schemes for which annual electricity production is approximately 5,000 GWh, being about 1.3% of the UK's total electricity production. There are also four pumped-storage hydroelectric power stations providing a further 2.8 GW of installed electrical generating capacity, and contributing up to 4,075 GWh of peak demand electricity annually.
Hydroelectricity is the second most important renewable energy source after solar energy in Japan with an installed capacity of 50.0 gigawatt (GW) as of 2019. According to the International Hydropower Association Japan was the world's sixth largest producer of hydroelectricity in 2020. Most of Japanese hydroelectric power plants are pumped-storage plants. Conventional hydropower plants account for about 20 GW out of the total installed capacity as of 2007.
Aguieira Dam also known as Foz do Dão Dam is a concrete multiple arch dam on the Mondego River, where the river forms the border line between the districts of Coimbra and Viseu. It is located in the municipality Penacova, in Coimbra District, Portugal.
Salamonde Dam is a concrete arch dam on the Cávado River, where the river forms the border line between the districts of Braga and Vila Real. It is located in the municipality Vieira do Minho, in Braga District, Portugal.
Hydroelectricity is currently China's largest renewable energy source and the second overall after coal. According to the International Hydropower Association, China is the worlds largest producer of hydroelectricity as of 2021. China's installed hydroelectric capacity in 2021 was 390.9 GW, including 36.4 GW of pumped storage hydroelectricity capacity, up from 233 GW in 2011. That year, hydropower generated 1,300 TWh of power, an increase of 68 TWh over 2018 when hydropower generated 1,232 TWh of power, accounting for roughly 18% of China's total electricity generation.
The electricity use in Portugal was 51.2 TWh in 2008. Portugal imported 9 TWh electricity in 2008. Population was 10.6 million. In 2018 electricity was generated by 23% hydroelectricity, 26% natural gas, 22% wind, 20% coal, 5% biomass, 2% solar and 2% oil. In 2019 electricity was generated by 19% hydroelectricity, 32% natural gas, 26% wind, 10% coal, 6% biomass, 2% solar, 2% oil and 1% other combustibles.
Snowy 2.0 Pumped Storage Power Station or Snowy Hydro 2.0 is a pumped-hydro battery megaproject in New South Wales, Australia. The dispatchable generation project connects two existing dams through a 27 kilometre underground tunnel and a new, underground pumped-hydro power station. Construction began in 2019. It is expected to supply two gigawatts of capacity and about 350,000 megawatt hours of large-scale storage to the national electricity market.
