World Power Plants

Petit Saut is a 113.6 MW hydroelectric power plant located in French Guiana, operated by Électricité de France since its commissioning in 1994. The facility utilizes hydro power to generate electricity, representing the entirety of the hydroelectric capacity in the region. As the only hydroelectric power plant in French Guiana, Petit Saut ranks as the largest with a capacity of 113.6 MW. French Guiana has one hydro plant with a combined capacity of 114 MW, making Petit Saut account for 100% of the country's hydro generation capacity. This facility is comparable to the total capacity of all power plants in French Guiana, which stands at 211 MW. Hydropower is essential for French Guiana's energy landscape, contributing significantly to its electricity generation. The region's abundant rainfall and river systems facilitate hydroelectric production, making it a viable energy source. Petit Saut is situated approximately 20 km from the capital city, Cayenne, in the northeastern part of the country.

Capacity
113.6 MW
Commissioning Year
1994

32 years old

Owner
Électricité de France
Location
5.0627°, -53.0476°

French Guiana, Other

Context & rankings
  • 1. largest of 4 plants in French Guiana
  • #9,527 worldwide by installed capacity
  • #2,151 of 8,493 Hydroelectric plants worldwide
  • 53.94% of the installed capacity of French Guiana
Age & fleet comparison

32 years in operation

Hydroelectric fleet average: 42.1 years

Operator portfolio

Électricité de France operates 53 plants totalling 102,512 MW

Regional density

11 plants within 100 km, 149 MW combined

Nearest plant: Sinnamary (19.9 km)

Data provenance

Source: EDF Guiana

Location

Coordinates:: 5.062700, -53.047600
Open in Google Maps
Carbon Footprint

Zero Direct Emissions

Petit Saut is a hydro power plant producing approximately 398 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
French Guiana
Continent
Other
Data Source
Global Power Plant Database

French GuianaEnergy Profile

4
Total Plants
0.2 GW
Total Capacity
HydroGasSolar
Top Fuels

See Incorrect or Missing Data?

Help us improve our database by reporting any corrections or updates. Your contribution helps keep our global power plant data accurate and up-to-date.