New all-time high in hydropower generation

On 4 January, REN - Redes Energéticas Nacionais recorded a new all-time high in hydropower generation in the Portuguese national network, by reaching 6,531 MW at 5:30 PM. The previous record happened on 21 March 2018, when peak hydropower generation reached 6,387 MW at 7:30 PM.
 
This number was reached due to the high rainfall observed in the period and to the increase in water inflows. On 4 January, the total generation was 99 GWh, three times the amount from the same period in 2022. On this day, hydropower accounted for almost 2/3 of total consumption, with the balance of foreign trade favouring exports, at 4 GWh.
 
In 2022, the hydropower capability index stood at 0.63 (historical average of 1). Apart from the last two months of the year, extremely low inflows led to a 36% decrease in annual hydropower generation. In December, significant rainfall increased the hydropower capability index to 1.67 (historical average of 1).