Centroamerica Hydroelectric Power Plant Nicaragua

Centroamerica Hydroelectric Power Plant Nicaragua is a 50 MW hydro power plant in Jinotega, Nicaragua. It is operated by Empresa Nicaragüense de Electricidad. Based on its capacity (estimated), it can supply roughly 50k homes (estimated). It ranks #16 of 19 Nicaragua power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 1964, it is around 62 years old — an older, legacy facility. As a non-combustion source, it has no direct CO₂ emissions from generation. In context, hydro supplies about 14.4% of Nicaragua's electricity; the national grid averages 301 gCO₂/kWh (62.4% low-carbon) (2024).

Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id GEODB0043591.

Data provenance

Source of the capacity and fuel values:

capacity: GEM · 2026 · L100001023142; fuel: WRI GPPD

In context: how this plant compares

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 Nicaragua hydro capacity

47.9% of 104 MW across 2 plants in this dataset

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 Nicaragua

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

Owner

Operated by Empresa Nicaragüense de Electricidad.

Local climate & thermal context

This hydro plant converts the energy of falling or flowing water through hydro turbines. It sits in a tropical savanna climate (Köppen Aw) — Northern Hemisphere, latitude 13.1°N — which shapes how much energy it can produce and how its output varies through the year.

Monthly mean temperature

Heating degree-days here run 99% 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: 13/100 — this site sits in the bottom 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 moderately corrosive environment (estimated ISO 9223 class C3 — Medium), 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 #2 largest hydro power plant of 2 in Nicaragua by capacity.

Nicaragua has 2 hydro power plants in this dataset, together about 104 MW of capacity.

Nearby power plants

• Carlos Fonesca (Santa Barbara) Hydroelectric Power Plant Nicaragua · Hydro · 54.4 MW · Leon
• San Benito power station · Gas · 150 MW · Managua
• Momotombo Geothermal Power Plant Nicaragua · Geothermal · 77 MW · Leon
• San Jacinto-Tizate Geothermal Power Plant Nicaragua · Geothermal · 82 MW · Leon
• Tipitapa IC Power Plant Nicaragua · Oil · 52 MW · Managua
• Planta MAN 140 power station · Oil · 148 MW · Managua

Location

Coordinates 13.1068, -86.0516 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.

Frequently asked questions