Quitaracsa — Peru

Quitaracsa is a 115 MW hydro power station in Ancash, Peru. It is operated by Energía del Sur S.A.. Based on reported annual generation of 88 GWh, it can supply roughly 25k homes. It ranks #26 of 40 Peru power plants by installed capacity. 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).

Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id WRI1022075.

Data provenance

Capacity and fuel are the upstream open-dataset record, not yet matched to a 2026 registry or GEM entry.

capacity: WRI GPPD; fuel: WRI GPPD

In context: how this plant compares

At 115 MW, Quitaracsa is below the median hydro plant in Peru (152 MW). 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

Load factor

9%, from 88 GWh of reported generation; the median for 14 hydro plants in Peru that report generation is 73%

Share of Peru hydro capacity

4.2% of 2,748 MW across 14 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 Peru

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

Owner

Operated by Energía del Sur S.A..

Local climate & thermal context

This hydro plant converts the energy of falling or flowing water through hydro turbines. It sits in a temperate oceanic climate (Köppen Cfb) — Southern Hemisphere, latitude 8.4°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 33% 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: 37/100 — 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 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 #11 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

• CaÑon del Pato · Hydro · 247 MW · Ancash

Location

Coordinates -8.4438, -77.5425 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.

Frequently asked questions