Pakistan outdone India, Canada in newly installed hydro power capacity

Pakistan beat the likes of India and Canada to rank third in the world for newly installed hydropower capacity, as per the newly released International Hydropower Association (IHA) 2019 Hydropower Status Report.

As per the report, China added the most capacity with the installation of 8,540 megawatts, followed by Brazil (3,866 MW), Pakistan (2,487 MW), Turkey (1,085 MW), Angola (668 MW), Tajikistan (605 MW), Ecuador (556 MW), India (535 MW), Norway (419 MW) and Canada (401 MW).

Pakistan’s installed hydropower capacity grew by over 25 per cent in 2018 alone, as large-scale projects came online boosting grid supply capacity, added the report.

Electricity generation from hydropower projects achieved a record estimated 4,200 terawatt hours (TWh) in 2018, the highest ever contribution from a renewable energy source, as worldwide installed hydropower capacity climbed to 1,292 GW.

The report stated that Brazil has now become the second largest producer of hydroelectricity by installed capacity, reaching 104.1 GW in 2018, surpassing the United States at 102.7 GW. Meanwhile, China remains the world's largest hydropower producer with 352.3 GW of installed capacity.