These run-of-river small hydro stations each have an installed capacity of 25 MW, and boast significant sustainable attributes. They promote economic development and contribute to a sustainable development in their respective regions.
Access to sustainably produced energy is one of the most pressing socio-economic and environmental issues in the world, but power sources such as small hydro power plants are part of the solution. In fact, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization describes small hydropower as a “key building block” towards development goals around sustainability and the eradication of poverty.
Indeed, small hydro is widely considered more sustainable than large hydro because the smaller installations are less disruptive to the immediate surroundings. Run-of-the-river hydro has little to no water storage, thus doing away with the need for large reservoirs. Small hydro projects are thus becoming increasingly favoured by environmentally-conscious developers and consumers.