ARROYITO — Argentina

ARROYITO is a 128 MW hydro power station in Neuquen, Argentina. It is operated by H. EL CHOCON SA. Based on its capacity (estimated), it can supply roughly 128k homes (estimated). It ranks #73 of 275 Argentina power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 1977, it is around 49 years old — long-established. As a non-combustion source, it has no direct CO₂ emissions from generation. In context, hydro supplies about 17.1% of Argentina's electricity; the national grid averages 346 gCO₂/kWh (41.6% low-carbon) (2025).

Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id ARG0000254.

Data provenance

Source of the capacity and fuel values:

capacity: GEM · 2026 · L100000600020; fuel: WRI GPPD

In context: how this plant compares

At 128 MW, ARROYITO is well above the median hydro plant in Argentina (42 MW). Technically it is described as conventional storage. Hydropower converts the energy of falling or flowing water into electricity; output depends on rainfall and reservoir level, and large dams also provide grid balancing and storage.

Capacity comparison computed from the WRI Global Power Plant Database; fuel-type context is general engineering background.

Key facts

Share of Argentina hydro capacity

1.3% of 9,991 MW across 50 plants in this dataset

Age among peers

25 of 49 dated hydro plants in Argentina are older

Calculated from the capacity and generation records in this dataset (WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0)).

Capacity vs largest hydro plants in Argentina

Installed capacity (MW), WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0).

Owner

Operated by H. EL CHOCON SA.

Local climate & thermal context

This hydro plant converts the energy of falling or flowing water through hydro turbines. It sits in a warm-summer Mediterranean climate (Köppen Csb) — Southern Hemisphere, latitude 39.1°S — which shapes how much energy it can produce and how its output varies through the year.

Monthly mean temperature

Heating degree-days here run 20% below the median power plant in this dataset — a proxy for how much extra energy heated equipment must replace through its surfaces in winter.

Climate heat-demand index: 43/100 — this site sits in the mid third of the power plants we cover by heating degree-days.

Climate normals: WorldClim 2.1 (1970–2000 monthly normals, 10 arc-min, CC BY 4.0); zone: Köppen-Geiger world climate classification (Kottek et al. 2006, 0.5° grid). Degree-days & heat-demand index computed by PowerAtlas — a modelled heat-demand proxy, not a measured site figure.

Site climate & environmental severity

This site sits in a mild atmospheric environment (estimated ISO 9223 class C2 — Low), with humidity / wetness the leading environmental stress.

Indicative estimate via the ISO 9223:2012 informative method (atmospheric corrosivity from temperature, time-of-wetness and airborne salinity), using WorldClim climate normals, the Köppen-Geiger class and coast distance. Indicative, not a measured corrosion rate.

How it compares & nearby plants

The #13 largest hydro power plant of 50 in Argentina by capacity.

Argentina has 50 hydro power plants in this dataset, together about 9,991 MW of capacity.

Nearby power plants

• EL CHOCON · Hydro · 1,200 MW · Neuquen
• AGUA DEL CAJON (AUTOGENERADOR DEL MEM) · Other · 479.2 MW · Neuquen
• AGUA DEL CAJON (GENERADOR DEL MEM) · Gas · 192 MW · Neuquen
• ALTO VALLE · Gas · 97.5 MW · Rio Negro
• JULIAN ROMERO · Hydro · 6.2 MW · Rio Negro
• CIPOLLETTI · Hydro · 5.8 MW · Rio Negro

Location

Coordinates -39.1067, -68.5857 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.

Frequently asked questions