Hydro energy

We harness the power of water

At EDP, we believe in the immense potential of hydropower.
As the oldest technology we operate, hydropower has been a cornerstone of our energy production journey. Beyond generating electricity, dams play a vital role in supplying water to populations, agricultural development, managing water resources during periods of drought or floods, and enabling recreational and tourism activities.

At EDP, we continue to innovate and invest in hydropower, leveraging its storage capacity to ensure a reliable and versatile resource to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow.

Our installed hydro capacity in the first semester of 2024

6,923 MW
in 2024 (EBITDA)
Representing 23%
of our installed renewable capacity (EBITDA + EQUITY MW)

The hydro sector reflects a robust presence in Iberia and Brazil

2024 (EBITDA)

5,522 GW

Iberia

1,401 MW

South America

Our hydro portfolio

Explore some of our portfolio of hydro projects that allows us to harness energy for a greener future.

Hydro projects

Brazil - Peixe

Peixe Angical Hydroelectric Power Station

The Peixe Angical Hydroelectric Power Station, on the Tocantins River in Tocantins, Brazil, has a 498.75 MW capacity and serves as a nationally significant project. Its reservoir spans Peixe, São Salvador do Tocantins, and Paranã. A feasibility study determined the exact location of the dam axis and sized the lake area and reduced the flooded area, sparing urban zones like São Salvador, Vila do Retiro, and Paranã, thus minimizing socio-environmental impacts. Enerpeixe, the plant's operator, prioritizes generating maximum energy with minimal ecological disruption. Recognized for excellence, the plant was rated Brazil’s best by by the National Electric Energy Agency (Aneel) in 2020, excelling in environment, safety, and operational management metrics.

The energy of water, always available

EDP's hydroelectric power stations are more than just a means of generating renewable energy. These infrastructures play an essential role in the flexibility and security of the electricity system, allowing for more efficient management of the grid, especially in periods of higher demand or when other renewable sources, such as solar and wind, are intermittent. One of the great advantages of dams is their ability to store energy, either in the long term (between seasons) or in the short term through the pumping process. This mechanism makes it possible to use surplus energy to raise water to higher reservoirs, storing it as potential energy to be used at times when electrical demand increases.

At EDP, water pumping represents a strategic investment, with 2.3 GW of storage capacity in plants equipped with reversible group technology. This system not only complements the integration of renewable sources into the electricity system, but also reinforces the capacity to respond to consumption needs, making it possible to transfer energy from periods of excess, such as summer with high solar generation, to winter, when demand for heating increases. Water pumping is a central solution in the energy transition and in EDP's commitment to becoming a 100% green company by 2030.

Learn about dams use

Hybridisation

In our journey of exploring renewable energy, we questioned how we could take more advantage of our dams and realized that using the reservoir of hydroelectric power plants is an opportunity: it avoids the occupation of other areas on land, useful to agriculture or pastoralism, and one can take advantage of the connection to the already installed electricity grid that hydroelectric plants do not steadily use. We explored this opportunity with solar technology already in use in other parts of planet.

Know more