World Power Plants

Rio Macho Hydroelectic Power Plant Costa Rica120 MW Hydroelectric

HydroRenewable

Rio Macho Hydroelectric Power Plant is a 120 MW hydroelectric facility located in Costa Rica, commissioned in 2011. It generates electricity from water resources, contributing to the country's renewable energy portfolio. Rio Macho ranks as the 5th largest hydro plant in Costa Rica. With a capacity of 120 MW, it represents 9.24% of the country's total hydro capacity of 1,298 MW. Costa Rica has 18 hydro plants with a combined capacity of 1,298 MW. Compared to the largest hydro plant, Angostura Hydroelectric Power Station at 210 MW, Rio Macho is approximately 57% the size. Hydropower is a crucial part of Costa Rica's energy mix, supplying a large portion of the country's electricity needs. The country's mountainous terrain and abundant rainfall facilitate hydroelectric generation. The plant is situated approximately 100 km from the capital city, San José, in the central region.

Capacity
120 MW
Commissioning Year
Owner
Location
9.7757°, -83.8414°

Costa Rica, North America

Context & rankings
  • 7. largest of 27 plants in Costa Rica
  • #9,242 worldwide by installed capacity
  • #2,039 of 8,493 Hydroelectric plants worldwide
  • 6.1% of the installed capacity of Costa Rica
Regional density
Data provenance

Source: GEODB

Location

Coordinates:: 9.775700, -83.841400
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Carbon Footprint

Zero Direct Emissions

Rio Macho Hydroelectic Power Plant Costa Rica is a hydro power plant producing approximately 420 GWh of clean electricity per year with zero direct CO₂ emissions during operation.

Lifecycle emissions: ~24 g CO₂/kWh (manufacturing, transport, decommissioning)

Technical Details

Primary Fuel Type
Hydro
Energy Source
Renewable
Country
Costa Rica
Continent
North America
Data Source
Global Power Plant Database

Costa RicaEnergy Profile

27
Total Plants
2.0 GW
Total Capacity
HydroOilGeothermalSolar
Top Fuels

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