Publications

Survey of Energy Resources 2007

Hydropower Country Notes

Peru

Peru's topography, with the Andes running the length of the country, and many fast-flowing rivers, endows the republic with an enormous hydroelectric potential. Its hydro capability is assessed as one of the largest in the whole of South America: its economically exploitable capability is some 260 TWh/yr. Current utilisation of this capability is very low - at around 7%. Hydro provides about 72% of Peru's electric power.

The Peruvian WEC Member Committee reports that at end-2005 one medium-sized HPP was under construction: El Platanal (220 MW). It also notes that 1 079 MW of additional hydro capacity is planned, including Machu Picchu (71 MW) and Pucara (130 MW).

Small-scale hydro plants had an aggregate capacity of 228 MW at end-2005, and generated 1 002 GWh during the year. A small (10 MW) HPP is under construction at La Joya, which is expected to come into operation in 2008. The Rural Electrification Plan 2005-2014 foresees the installation of 28 mini-hydro plants, with an aggregate capacity of 7.229 MW, during the period to 2014. Laws approved by the Peruvian authorities in 2006 specified that renewable indigenous energy resources, including hydropower, should be accorded priority in rural electrification schemes, and that distributed generation sources linked to the national interconnected electrical system (SEIN) should have use of the distribution network, paying only the incremental cost incurred.