Global hydro-power capacity additions in 2016 are estimated to be at least 25 GW, with total capacity reaching approximately 1,096 GWi.

The top countries for hydro-power capacity are China, Brazil, the United States, Canada, the Russian Federation, India and Norway, which together accounted for about 62% of installed capacity at the end of 2016. 

At least 25 GW of new hydro-power capacity (excluding pumped storage) was commissioned in 2016, increasing global capacity to approximately 1,096 GW. Trought conditions improved notably in the Americas and Asia; it is estimated that global generation rose by more than 3% relative to 2015, to about 4,100 TWh.

China’s domestic market continued to contract, but the country retained the global lead with 8.9 GW added. Significant capacity also was added in Brazil, Ecuador, Ethiopia, Vietnam, Peru, Turkey, Lao PDR, Malaysia and India. 

Modernization and retrofitting of existing facilities continues to be a significant part of industry operations, including the implementation of advanced control technologies and data analytics for digitally enhanced power generation.

Climate risk in the context of project financing and operations remains a pressing concern for the industry, and efforts were made to improve understanding of the climate impacts of hydro-power projects as well as of their climate mitigation benefits and resilience.