The rain of recent weeks fills hydroelectric reservoirs and increases river flows, which is why that generation grows

In the last two weeks, the rains have increased in the country, which has caused an increase in the flow of all the rivers and therefore, the level of the reservoirs of the hydroelectric plants that have it or the generation capacity of those of daily regulation.

As of Wednesday the 22nd and Thursday the 23rd, they were contributing more than 76% to cover the country's demand, according to daily monitoring data from the National Energy and Electricity Commission (CNEE).

While on Wednesday, May 25, those plants covered 37.39%, and on Wednesday, June 8, they came to represent 64.80% of the more than 1,750 megawatts needed for the country every day.

The Association of Renewable Energy Generators (Ager) announced that hydroelectric plants increased their generation compared to what was scheduled, by 27% in the week of May 22 to 28. And during June, growth has been 13% to 16% based on weekly data.

In the case of hydroelectric plants owned by the National Electrification Institute (Inde), generation has had a variable behavior: Chixoy, the largest in the country, generated 81.4 gigawatt hours from June 9 to 23, more than 140% compared to at the same dates in 2021. Even so, the data is lower by around 11% compared to what was scheduled for these days of this year.

Melvin Quijivix, president of INDE, explained that the Chixoy reservoir is about to be filled, and at 4 pm on Friday, June 24, it was reported at 800.19 meters above sea level (masl). Its capacity is 803 meters above sea level.

As of that same date in 2021, the level was at 784 meters above sea level, the official added.

If the high level of water intake continues, and this hydroelectric plant is not called to generate and contribute more, the reservoir could be filled between Monday and next Tuesday, he commented. Chixoy is a plant with an annual regulation reservoir, which can be programmed to use more water during the winter time or reserve it especially for the summer or the dog days.

Most of the hydroelectric plants in the country are known as "run-of-the-river", which do not have a reservoir and produce according to the daily flow. Among these, Aguacapa, which increased its generation by 28%. They also increased that of El Salto and Chicaic.