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HYDROGRID Chief Executive Officer Janice Goodenough said the project demonstrates how digital technologies can be applied at scale in the hydropower sector. “We’re proud to collaborate with IDB on a project that demonstrates how digitalization can transform hydropower performance. Combining robust infrastructure with advanced analytics unlocks efficiency gains and supports long-term sustainability goals,” she said. HYDROGRID said its software platform is designed to support hydropower operators with integrated water management and production planning. The company reports that its tools can help reduce water spill, increase energy production by up to 10 percent, and improve revenue per megawatt-hour by an average of 15 percent. The platform is currently used by utilities and independent power producers in Europe, Africa, the Americas, and Asia.
Portugal
EDP brings first onshore hydro– solar hybrid project into operation EDP has commissioned Portugal’s first onshore hybrid power project combining hydropower and solar energy. The 89MW Pracana complex is located in central Portugal and integrates a new solar plant with the existing Pracana Dam. The project combines 48MW of photovoltaic capacity, based on around 90,000 solar panels, with 41MW of installed hydropower capacity at Pracana. The dam, located on the Ocreza River, was inaugurated in 1951. By sharing grid infrastructure, the hybrid configuration is designed to maximise renewable output while limiting additional environmental impact. The Pracana complex is located in the municipalities of Mação and Proença-a-Nova, in the districts of Santarém and Castelo Branco respectively. EDP estimates the project will avoid approximately 35,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions per year. According to the company, hybridisation allows additional renewable generation to be added using existing assets, particularly distribution networks, helping to reduce costs and mitigate the impact of lengthy permitting processes. “Pracana is another milestone in our strategy: by combining hydropower and onshore solar, we reinforce system stability, accelerate the energy transition, and reduce territorial impact. It is EDP’s first project of this kind globally and proves that innovation and efficiency can go hand in hand,” said Pedro Vasconcelos, Executive Board Member of EDP and CEO of EDP Iberia. Construction of the solar plant began in January 2025. Its estimated annual production is 87GWh. EDP reported that more than 30,000 working hours were completed without accidents during construction, with a peak workforce of 150 people. Pracana is EDP’s sixth hybrid renewable
project in Portugal and the 11th across the Iberian Peninsula. Together with the Golancz hybrid park in Poland, it brings the company’s
total number of multi-technology projects in Europe to 12. In 2025, EDP also commissioned wind–solar hybrid projects at Charneca das Lebres in Aljezur and Las Lomillas in Cuenca. In Portugal, the company operates additional hydro–solar projects at Alto Rabagão in Montalegre and Alqueva in Moura.
Tajikistan
ADFD signs loan agreement to support Rogun The Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD) has signed a loan agreement with the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan to finance the Rogun hydroelectric power station, with funding valued at AE$376m. The agreement was signed on 5 February during the World Governments Summit 2026 by H.E. Mohammed Saif Al Suwaidi, Director General of ADFD, and H.E. Faiziddin Qahhorzoda, Minister of Finance of the Republic of Tajikistan, in the presence of officials from both sides. The Rogun hydroelectric power station is being developed on the Vakhsh River in southern Tajikistan as part of efforts to strengthen energy security and water resilience. The financing is provided within the framework of the Abu Dhabi Global Water Platform launched by ADFD. Construction of the project began in 1976 during the Soviet era but was interrupted following independence and resumed in 2016. The scheme centres on a clay-core rockfill dam designed to reach 335m in height, which would make it the tallest dam in the world upon completion. The hydropower plant is planned to include six generating units and a total installed capacity of around 3.6GW. Two units have already been commissioned, with full completion targeted later this decade. The project is expected to deliver more than 13TWh of electricity annually and support domestic supply as well as regional power exports. H.E. Faiziddin Qahhorzoda stated: “We
extend our sincere appreciation to the UAE for its leadership and continued commitment to supporting the national development goals of partner countries. This development- oriented approach reflects the essential role played by ADFD in reinforcing the foundations of sustainable development through the financing of high-impact projects that contribute to progress and prosperity for communities worldwide.”
Australia
Two pumped storage projects declared critical infrastructure in New South Wales The government of New South Wales, Australia, has declared two proposed pumped storage energy storage projects worth more than US$7bn as Critical State Significant Infrastructure (CSSI), a designation intended to
streamline planning and assessment. The projects named are the A$3.5bn
Western Sydney Pumped Hydro Project at Lake Burragorang, being developed by ZEN Energy, and the A$3.6bn Yarrabin (Phoenix) Pumped Hydro Project near Mudgee in central-western New South Wales, led by ACEN Australia. Both projects remain in early planning stages
and are located on land managed by the state- owned water authority WaterNSW. Authorities said each proposal will undergo a full assessment process, including public consultation and opportunities for community submissions. The Western Sydney project would repurpose a former coal washery site on the eastern side of Lake Burragorang, about 24km upstream from Warragamba Dam. It is designed to store surplus electricity and deliver up to 1GW of on-demand power for roughly eight hours at peak times. The Phoenix project is proposed about 35km west of Mudgee within the Central-West Orana Renewable Energy Zone, an area designated by the state government for renewable generation and grid development. The facility is planned as an approximately 800MW storage plant capable of delivering power for up to 12 hours – with total storage capacity reaching about 15 hours – to support wind and solar generation when output falls. The New South Wales government said it has
approved 44 renewable energy projects since 2023 that, once built, could generate enough electricity to power 5.2 million homes. Officials added that more than 50 renewable energy, storage and transmission projects are currently under assessment, representing about 13.5GW of generating capacity that could supply roughly 6 million homes. Another 196 projects are in various planning stages. “These projects will help stabilise the grid, support energy reliability during peak demand periods and underpin the transition away from coal-fired power,” commented New South Wales Minister for Energy and the Environment Penny Sharpe. “Long-duration storage like pumped hydro is essential to building a modern energy system that works for households, businesses and industry across NSW.” Planning and Public Spaces Minister Paul Scully added: “These two pumped hydro projects could play a vital role in supporting our energy security together able to generate enough energy to power every home in Greater Perth during peak demand. “These critical infrastructure projects are part of a strong pipeline of renewable energy proposals that shows industry confidence in our planning system and our commitment to delivering the infrastructure NSW needs for a clean energy future.” Water Minister Rose Jackson said: “lmportantly, WaterNSW has already conducted a number of initial assessments to make sure these projects won’t impact water security or quality and we will continue to do analysis regularly, to help inform the planning and assessment processes.”
www.waterpowermagazine.com | February/March 2026 | 7
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