Hydro output for PPAs in Q4-’07 was down by two-thirds compared to the previous period at 1,431GWh from 4,334GWh. Load factor during the quarter was 16% versus 48% last time.
But for the full year EDP’s output for PPAs decreased by 12.4% to 18,295GWh with hydro only slightly down on 2006.
The hydro output was down 6.2% to 8,976GWh in 2007 and load factor was 25% compared to 27% for the previous year.
EDP’s installed hydro capacity increased by 240MW to 910MW in the liberalised electricity market in Iberia, or almost a third of the total increase in 2007.
However, in the liberalised Iberian electricity market the Q4 output from hydro was down almost 59% to 216GWh. The load factor was 27% versus 35% in the previous period. For the full year the hydro output was 12.7% lower at 1,171GWh, but the load factor increased to 35% from 23%, said EDP.
EDP last year launched design work to increase the capacity of the Alqueva plant to 520MW, effectively double the present level. The utility also plans to build the Ribeiradio scheme in a joint venture after the award of a concession by the national water authority (Inag).
