Saucay — Ecuador
Hydro power plant in Azuay, Ecuador. Approximate location -2.7833, -79.0.
HydroAzuayEcuador
Saucay is a 24 MW hydro power plant in Azuay, Ecuador. It is operated by Elecaustro. Based on reported annual generation of 141 GWh, it can supply roughly 40k homes. It ranks #27 of 34 Ecuador power plants by installed capacity. As a non-combustion source, it has no direct CO₂ emissions from generation. In context, hydro supplies about 77.9% of Ecuador's electricity; the national grid averages 159 gCO₂/kWh (79.4% low-carbon) (2025).
Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id WRI1018625.
Data status
Known data
Calculated from dataset
Not available
Known, modelled and calculated values are kept separate. Missing fields are shown as unavailable.
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 24 MW, Saucay is around the median hydro plant in Ecuador (24 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
- 67%, from 141 GWh of reported generation, in line with the 67% median for 7 hydro plants in Ecuador
- Share of Ecuador hydro capacity
- 0.7% of 3,252 MW across 10 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 Ecuador
Installed capacity (MW), WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0).
Owner
Operated by Elecaustro.
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 2.8°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 31% 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: 38/100 — 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 #5 largest hydro power plant of 10 in Ecuador by capacity.
Ecuador has 10 hydro power plants in this dataset, together about 3,252 MW of capacity.
Nearby power plants
- Saymirin · Hydro · 14.4 MW · Azuay
- Sopladora II · Hydro · 487 MW · Canar
- Paute · Hydro · 1,100 MW · Morona-Santiago
- Durán power station · Oil · 120 MW · Guayas
- Termogas Machala 1 power station · Gas · 317 MW · El Oro
- Alao · Hydro · 10 MW · Chimborazo
Location
Coordinates -2.7833, -79.0 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.
Frequently asked questions
What type of power plant is Saucay?
Saucay is a 24 MW hydro power plant in Azuay, Ecuador.
How much electricity does Saucay generate?
Saucay generates about 141 GWh of electricity per year.
Who operates Saucay?
Saucay is operated by Elecaustro.