Cutting Down the Hydropower Plants: How the Amazon Deforestation is Jeopardizing Electricity Generation in Brazil

The report analyzes the causal link between Amazon deforestation and reduced hydroelectric power generation in Brazil, utilizing case studies of the Teles Pires HPP and plants in the Paraná Basin to quantify energy and revenue losses.

• Deforestation in the Amazon negatively impacts hydroelectric power plants (HPPs) located thousands of kilometers away from the biome by disrupting 'flying rivers'—moisture-laden air currents that regulate rainfall patterns across the continent.
• At the Teles Pires HPP, located within the Amazon region, deforestation between 1985 and 2020 reduced monthly electricity generation by 2.5% to 10%, resulting in an average annual revenue loss of USD 21 million.
• In the Paraná Basin, deforestation in the Amazon caused a generation loss of approximately 3% for three analyzed HPPs (Salto, Salto do Rio Verdinho, and São Domingos). For the Salto HPP, this corresponds to a potential 10% loss of annual profit for the controlling company.
• The vulnerability of Brazil's energy system is high, as 17 of the 20 hydroelectric plants with the highest capacity are located in the path of the flying rivers.
• The most influential forest areas for electricity generation vary by location: for Teles Pires HPP, indigenous lands are the primary land tenure category (41.6% of the most relevant area), while for Paraná Basin HPPs, private rural properties registered under SIGEF are most significant (approximately 40%).
• Reduced hydroelectric output due to deforestation may increase energy insecurity and force a reliance on fossil fuel-based thermoelectricity, which increases greenhouse gas emissions and electricity prices.

APA

Climate Policy Initiative (2024). Cutting Down the Hydropower Plants: How the Amazon Deforestation is Jeopardizing Electricity Generation in Brazil. https://www.climatepolicyinitiative.org/publication/cutting-down-the-hydropower-plants-how-the-amazon-deforestation-is-jeopardizing-electricity-generation-in-brazil/

Chicago

Climate Policy Initiative. Cutting Down the Hydropower Plants: How the Amazon Deforestation is Jeopardizing Electricity Generation in Brazil. 2024. https://www.climatepolicyinitiative.org/publication/cutting-down-the-hydropower-plants-how-the-amazon-deforestation-is-jeopardizing-electricity-generation-in-brazil/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Climate Policy Initiative |title=Cutting Down the Hydropower Plants: How the Amazon Deforestation is Jeopardizing Electricity Generation in Brazil |date=17 October 2024 |url=https://www.climatepolicyinitiative.org/publication/cutting-down-the-hydropower-plants-how-the-amazon-deforestation-is-jeopardizing-electricity-generation-in-brazil/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{climatepolicyinitiative2024cutting, author = {{Climate Policy Initiative}}, title = {{Cutting Down the Hydropower Plants: How the Amazon Deforestation is Jeopardizing Electricity Generation in Brazil}}, institution = {Climate Policy Initiative}, year = {2024}, month = oct, url = {https://www.climatepolicyinitiative.org/publication/cutting-down-the-hydropower-plants-how-the-amazon-deforestation-is-jeopardizing-electricity-generation-in-brazil/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }