Simon Bolivar (Guri) — Venezuela

Simon Bolivar (Guri) is a 10,200 MW hydro power station in Bolivar, Venezuela. It is operated by Corpoelec (CVG Edelca). Based on reported annual generation of 50,834 GWh, it can supply roughly 15 million homes. It ranks #1 of 59 Venezuela power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 1986, it is around 40 years old — long-established. As a non-combustion source, it has no direct CO₂ emissions from generation. In context, hydro supplies about 91.1% of Venezuela's electricity; the national grid averages 86 gCO₂/kWh (91.1% low-carbon) (2024).

Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id WRI1018677.

Data provenance

Source of the capacity and fuel values:

capacity: Wikipedia/power-technology; operated by CVG Edelca, now part of Corpoelec; fuel: WRI GPPD

In context: how this plant compares

At 10,200 MW, Simon Bolivar (Guri) is well above the median hydro plant in Venezuela (514 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.

Key facts

Load factor

57%, from 50,834 GWh of reported generation; the median for 6 hydro plants in Venezuela that report generation is 63%

Share of Venezuela hydro capacity

53.7% of 18,979 MW across 9 plants in this dataset

Age among peers

2 of 7 dated hydro plants in Venezuela are older

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 Venezuela

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

Owner

Operated by Corpoelec (CVG Edelca).

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 7.8°N — which shapes how much energy it can produce and how its output varies through the year.

Monthly mean temperature

This site has effectively no heating season (tropical/equatorial climate), so winter heat loss is not the driver here. The thermal concern shifts to year-round process heat and humidity/heat-driven corrosion of hot equipment.

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 #1 largest hydro power plant of 9 in Venezuela by capacity.

Venezuela has 9 hydro power plants in this dataset, together about 18,979 MW of capacity.

Nearby power plants

• Manuel Piar (Tocoma) Hydroelectric Power Plant Venezuela · Hydro · 2,530 MW · Bolivar
• Fransisco de Miranda (Caruachi) · Hydro · 2,160 MW · Bolivar
• Sidor power station · Gas · 185 MW · Bolívar
• Antonio Jose de Sucre (Macagua) · Hydro · 2,930 MW · Bolivar
• Alfredo Salazar (Anaco) · Gas · 300 MW · Anzoategui

Location

Coordinates 7.7659, -62.9982 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.

Frequently asked questions