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Charcani V

Hydro power plant in Arequipa, Peru. Approximate location -16.2457, -71.3472.

HydroArequipaPeruconventional storage

Charcani V is a 146 MW hydro power station in Arequipa, Peru. It is operated by Emp. de Generación Eléctrica de Arequipa S. A.. Based on reported annual generation of 538 GWh, it can supply roughly 154k homes. It ranks #20 of 40 Peru power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 1989, it is around 37 years old — long-established. As a non-combustion source, it has no direct CO₂ emissions from generation. In context, hydro supplies about 56.1% of Peru's electricity; the national grid averages 238 gCO₂/kWh (63.6% low-carbon) (2025).

146Source-backed capacity
538GWh reported / yr
153,714homes powered
1989commissioned (~37 yrs)

Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id WRI1022074.

Data status

Known data

FacilityCharcani V WRI
CountryPeru · Arequipa WRI
Coordinates-16.2457, -71.3472 WRI
FuelHydro WRI
MW installed capacity146 MW WRI source record; scope not independently normalised
OwnerEmp. de Generación Eléctrica de Arequipa S. A. WRI
Commissioned1989 WRI
Technologyconventional storage WRI
GWh reported / yr538 GWh/yr WRI

Calculated from dataset

Capacity rank in country#20 of 40 calculated
Fuel-specific rank in country#8 of 14 calculated
Capacity vs country/fuel peers0.96× · 152 MW median · 14 peers calculated
Homes-powered equivalent153,714 calculated from reported generation
Climate4.2°C · HDD 5,031 derived from coordinates
Environmental severityC2 · 16/100 derived from coordinates

Not available

GWh reported / yrNot available not in dataset
CO₂ emissionsnot applicable not applicable

Known, modelled and calculated values are kept separate. Missing fields are shown as unavailable.

Data provenance

The capacity and/or fuel fields on this page include a source-backed provenance label from GEM, an official registry, Wikidata, OSM, or a cross-source match.

capacity: GEM tracker 2026 operating-unit sum (location L100000603088); fuel: WRI source-record fuel

In context: how this plant compares

At 146 MW, Charcani V is around the median hydro plant in Peru (152 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.

Capacity vs largest hydro plants in Peru

Antunez de Mayolo (Mantaro): 798 MW798Antunez de…Huinco: 258 MW258HuincoCaÑon del Pato: 247 MW247CaÑon del …El Platanal: 220 MW220El PlatanalRestitucion: 210 MW210RestitucionMacchu Picchu: 190 MW190Macchu Pic…Chimay: 152 MW152ChimayCharcani V: 146 MW146Charcani V

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

Owner

Operated by Emp. de Generación Eléctrica de Arequipa S. A..

Local climate & thermal context

This hydro plant converts the energy of falling or flowing water through hydro turbines. It sits in a polar tundra climate (Köppen ET) — Southern Hemisphere, latitude 16.2°S — which shapes how much energy it can produce and how its output varies through the year.

4.2°Cannual mean temp
5,031heating degree-days (base 18°C)
0cooling degree-days (base 18°C)
4,411 melevation

Monthly mean temperature

J: 6 °CJF: 6 °CFM: 6 °CMA: 5 °CAM: 3 °CMJ: 2 °CJJ: 1 °CJA: 2 °CAS: 4 °CSO: 5 °CON: 5 °CND: 6 °CD6 °C

Heating degree-days here run 105% above 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: 94/100 — this site sits in the top 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

For a plant’s outdoor hardware — heat-recovery steam generators (HRSG), expansion joints, valves, flanges and their insulation — the local climate sets how fast unprotected steel and coatings degrade. This site sits in a mild atmospheric environment (estimated ISO 9223 class C2 — Low), with heat / UV the leading environmental stress.

C2ISO 9223 corrosivity (indicative)
16/100environmental-severity index
5.0°Cseasonal temperature swing
111 kmdistance to coast

Higher environmental severity is exactly where protective removable insulation pays back most: a sheltered micro-climate slows corrosion, UV and thermal-cycling damage and extends outdoor hardware service life. This is an indicative site-climate context — not a condition assessment of any specific plant or operator.

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 #8 largest hydro power plant of 14 in Peru by capacity.

Peru has 14 hydro power plants in this dataset, together about 2,748 MW of capacity.

Nearby power plants

Location

Coordinates -16.2457, -71.3472 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.

Frequently asked questions

What type of power plant is Charcani V?

Charcani V is a 146 MW source-record hydro power plant in Arequipa, Peru, commissioned in 1989.

How much electricity does Charcani V generate?

Charcani V generates about 538 GWh of electricity per year.

How many homes can Charcani V power?

Its output is enough to supply roughly 153,714 homes.

Who operates Charcani V?

Charcani V is operated by Emp. de Generación Eléctrica de Arequipa S. A..

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