Hydropower generation increased between 2019 and 2020, on the back of strong water reserves starting early in the year. Output rose by 8.4% year-on-year.
Sharp increase in hydropower generation
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Hydropower generation increased between 2019 and 2020, on the back of strong water reserves starting early in the year. Output rose by 8.4% year-on-year.
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Better understanding
Water reserves (hydraulic stock) are associated with reservoir-type hydropower plants that take a long time to fill and are managed seasonally. Reserves decline in winter, when these plants run often, and are then replenished in spring, when the snow melts. They currently remain at the highest level observed in the past ten years.
Hydrological conditions were good in 2019, so water reserves were very high in January 2020 and remained above the 2019 level since reservoir plants were used less often through the spring. Between week 6 (from Monday, 8 February to Sunday, 14 February) and week 23 (from Monday, 7 June to Sunday, 13 June), water reserves remained more than 50% above the 2019 level, thanks to significant precipitation. Starting in week 33 (from Monday, 16 August to Sunday, 22 August), 2020 reserves fell back toward the previous year level. In Week 31 (from Monday, 27 July to Sunday, 2 August), generation rose to the highest level on record for the past five years (3,100.55 GWh).
Moreover, careful management by hydropower operators allowed them to head into the winter with high reserves, which in turn made the operation of the power system more secure.
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Pumped storage stations, or STEP in French, are part of EDF’s electricity generation fleet, and their primary function is to “store” energy. These plants comprise two reservoirs (upper and lower) and a power plant located near the lower reservoir. The idea is simple: water is pumped from the lower reservoir to the upper reservoir during off-peak periods, to constitute a reserve. This stored water is then directed to the turbines (i.e. from the upper to the lower reservoir) to generate electricity when demand is high.
Source: EDF
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