Basic Information

• Location: On the Coca River in the province of Sucumbíos, Ecuador, approximately 150 km east of the city of Coca.
• Project Positioning: Key renewable energy project under Ecuador’s National Energy Strategy; part of the "Belt and Road" initiative in Latin America.
• Total Installed Capacity: 240 MW (3 × 80 MW Francis turbine-generator units).
• Annual Power Generation: 920 million kWh (estimated).
• Engineering Type: Run-of-river hydroelectric plant (no large reservoir, utilizing natural river flow).

• Sales quantity: 10 sets of grouting recorders, equipped with flow meters, pressure gauges, density meters, heave observation devices, data logging systems, and data processing software

Technical Specifications

Project Timeline

• 2018: China Power Construction Corporation (PowerChina) awarded design and engineering support contract.
• 2019–2021: Civil works, dam construction, and turbine installation.
• March 2022: All three units commissioned; power delivered to Ecuador’s national grid.
• 2023–2024: Grid integration optimization and local capacity training.

Key Features & Innovations

1. Zero Reservoir Design:
   • Avoided land inundation and displacement (no resettlement required).
   • Preserved 8,000 hectares of Amazon rainforest and agricultural land.
2. Eco-Conscious Construction:
   • Fish passage system to protect migratory species in the Coca River.
   • Minimum ecological flow maintained (60% of natural river flow).
3. Local Workforce Development:
   • 75% of construction workforce hired locally (over 1,500 Ecuadorian workers).
   • Training for 400+ Ecuadorian technicians in turbine maintenance and grid operations.
4. Smart Monitoring System:
   • AI-driven predictive maintenance reduced downtime by 30%.
   • Real-time power output optimization for grid stability.

Project Benefits

✅ Energy Security

• Increased Ecuador’s renewable energy share from 55% to 62% (national grid).
• Supplies power to 1.2 million households and 200+ industrial facilities.
• Reduced electricity costs from $0.15/kWh to $0.08/kWh (with government subsidies).

✅ Economic Development

• Created 3,000+ direct/indirect jobs during construction and operation.
• Funded 10 rural electrification projects in Amazonian communities (total 25 MW capacity).
• Boosted local agriculture: 12,000 hectares of farmland now irrigated via project-linked canals.

✅ Environmental Impact

• Annual CO₂ reduction: 600,000 tons (equivalent to planting 8 million trees).
• Zero deforestation due to run-of-river design.
• Improved river water quality through sediment management.

Project Partners & Investment

Strategic Significance

• National Level: Critical to Ecuador’s "Energy for All" 2025 plan (target: 100% renewable electricity).
• Regional Impact: Supports the "Andean Power Grid" integration with Peru and Colombia.
• Belt and Road: Largest Chinese infrastructure investment in Ecuador (USD 210 million).
• Sustainability Model: Demonstrated "low-impact, high-benefit" hydro development for tropical river basins.

Recognition & Awards

• 2023: Honored as "Best Sustainable Infrastructure Project" by the Latin American Energy Organization (OLADE).
• 2024: Featured in the World Bank’s "Clean Energy for the Amazon" case studies.
• Ecuador President Daniel Noboa: Called it "a game-changer for sustainable energy in the Amazon."

Mina de Agua Hydropower Station: Powering Ecuador’s Amazon Future

As Ecuador’s largest run-of-river hydro project, Mina de Agua delivers clean, affordable energy without displacing communities or harming the Amazon ecosystem. It embodies the "Belt and Road" principle of sustainable, community-centered development—proving that renewable energy expansion can coexist with biodiversity conservation. The project has become a model for similar initiatives across Latin America’s river basins, where energy access and environmental protection are equally vital.