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LAS MADERAS

Hydro power plant in Jujuy, Argentina. Approximate location -24.4438, -65.2203.

HydroJujuyArgentinaunknown

LAS MADERAS is a 30 MW hydro power plant in Jujuy, Argentina. It is operated by HIDROELECTRICA LAS MADERAS. Based on its capacity (estimated), it can supply roughly 30k homes (estimated). It ranks #140 of 275 Argentina power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 2002, it is around 24 years old — relatively modern. 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).

30Source-backed capacity
30,034homes powered (est.)
2002commissioned (~24 yrs)

Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id ARG0000169.

Data status

Known data

FacilityLAS MADERAS WRI
CountryArgentina · Jujuy WRI
Coordinates-24.4438, -65.2203 WRI
FuelHydro WRI
MW installed capacity30 MW WRI source record; scope not independently normalised
OwnerHIDROELECTRICA LAS MADERAS WRI
Commissioned2002 WRI
Technologyunknown WRI

Calculated from dataset

Capacity rank in country#140 of 275 calculated
Fuel-specific rank in country#27 of 50 calculated
Capacity vs country/fuel peers0.71× · 42 MW median · 50 peers calculated
Homes-powered equivalent30,034 calculated
Climate19.6°C · HDD 437 derived from coordinates
Environmental severityC3 · 33/100 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 (location L100001054532); fuel: WRI source-record fuel

In context: how this plant compares

At 30 MW, LAS MADERAS is below the median hydro plant in Argentina (42 MW). Technically it is described as unknown. 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 Argentina

YACYRETA: 1,550 MW2kYACYRETAPIEDRA DEL AGUILA (CPSA): 1,400 MW1kPIEDRA DEL…EL CHOCON: 1,200 MW1kEL CHOCONALICURA: 1,040 MW1kALICURASALTO GRANDE (MITAD ARGENTINA): 945 MW945SALTO GRAN…RIO GRANDE: 750 MW750RIO GRANDEFUTALEUFU: 472 MW472FUTALEUFUPLANICIE BANDERITA: 472 MW472PLANICIE B…

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

Owner

Operated by HIDROELECTRICA LAS MADERAS.

Local climate & thermal context

This hydro plant converts the energy of falling or flowing water through hydro turbines. It sits in a subtropical highland climate (Köppen Cwb) — Southern Hemisphere, latitude 24.4°S — which shapes how much energy it can produce and how its output varies through the year.

19.6°Cannual mean temp
437heating degree-days (base 18°C)
1,003cooling degree-days (base 18°C)
769 melevation

Monthly mean temperature

J: 25 °CJF: 24 °CFM: 22 °CMA: 19 °CAM: 16 °CMJ: 13 °CJJ: 13 °CJA: 16 °CAS: 18 °CSO: 21 °CON: 23 °CND: 24 °CD25 °C

Heating degree-days here run 82% 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: 20/100 — 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

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 moderately corrosive environment (estimated ISO 9223 class C3 — Medium), with humidity / wetness the leading environmental stress.

C3ISO 9223 corrosivity (indicative)
33/100environmental-severity index
11.9°Cseasonal temperature swing
526 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 #27 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

Location

Coordinates -24.4438, -65.2203 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.

Frequently asked questions

What type of power plant is LAS MADERAS?

LAS MADERAS is a 30 MW source-record hydro power plant in Jujuy, Argentina, commissioned in 2002.

How many homes can LAS MADERAS power?

Its output is enough to supply roughly 30,034 homes (estimated).

Who operates LAS MADERAS?

LAS MADERAS is operated by HIDROELECTRICA LAS MADERAS.

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