Over 21 GW of hydropower capacity added worldwide in 2018

According to the 2019 Hydropower Status Report released by the International Hydropower Association, around 21.8 GW of new hydropower capacities were commissioned in 2018, including nearly 2 GW of pumped-storage. Most of this new capacity was added in the East-Asia and Pacific region (nearly 9.2 GW installed, including 8.5 GW in China), followed by South America (4.9 GW, of which 3.9 GW were in Brazil), South and Central Asia (4 GW, including 2.5 GW in Pakistan), Europe (2.2 GW, half of which was in Turkey), Africa (1 GW, of which 0.7 GW in Angola) and North and Central America (0.6 GW).

At the end of 2018, global hydropower capacity stood at nearly 1,300 GW, of which over a quarter was located in China (352 GW), followed by Brazil (104 GW), the United States (103 GW) and Canada (81 GW): these four countries accounted for half of global capacities at the end of 2018 and Brazil overtook the United States as the second largest producer by capacity, after more than 3 GW were added at the 11 GW Belo Monte hydropower complex. Overall, hydropower generated 4,200 TWh in 2018.