European hydropower plants are having their best year in at least 9 years

European hydropower plants generated 388 TWh of electricity from January to May this year, 18% more than the 330 TWh they generated over the same period last year. At the same time, this is the highest output for this period in at least 9 years. Reuters reported, citing energy think tank Ember.

Reuters reported that high hydropower generation, driven by above-average rainfall across most parts of Europe, is evident throughout the continent. This helped hydropower account for 19.2% of total electricity generation in the first five months of this year. Over the past five years, hydropower's average share was around 17%.

According to the published data, hydropower generation in France rose by more than 50% year on year to almost 40 TWh, around 12% above the long-term average. A similar year-on-year increase in generation was observed in Italy, where this year's hydropower output is even 23.4% above the long-term average.

Across the Alpine region as a whole, which includes generation in Austria, France, Italy and Switzerland, output is up 40% year on year and 14.4% above the long-term average.

High hydropower generation, along with output from other renewable sources, helped reduce electricity generation from coal-fired power plants by 13% and from gas-fired power plants by 7%.

Reuters also noted that European hydropower generation will begin to decline in the coming weeks as the effects of melting snow fade and many countries enter the driest period of the year.

Generation from zero-emission sources is nevertheless expected to remain high, thanks to strong summer output from solar power plants and steady electricity generation from nuclear power plants and biomass-fired facilities.