Hydroelectricity in Italy

Old hydroelectric plant, now museum, in Cedegolo, Val Camonica

Italy is the world's 14th largest producer of hydroelectric power, with a total of 50,582 GWh produced in 2010.[1] Electric energy from hydro accounted for about 18% of the national electricity production in 2010.[2]

There were a total of 2,729 active plants in 2010, of which 302 had a capacity greater than 10 MW.[3]: 54–55  Hydroelectric plants are especially widespread in the north, where there are many rivers and mountains. Lombardy, Piedmont and Trentino-Alto Adige contributed for almost 60% of the total energy production in 2010.[3]: 62 

Hydroelectricity played a major role in the development of energy sector in Italy, since until the 1950s almost all the electric energy produced in the country came from this source. In fact, almost all the current capacity was installed in the first half of the twentieth century.[2]

Plants in Italy are also used to store excess energy from other sources during off-peak periods.

  1. ^ Compare List of countries by electricity production from renewable sources
  2. ^ a b "Statistiche produzione elettricità 1883-2010". Terna. Archived from the original on 7 February 2015. Retrieved 10 January 2012.
  3. ^ a b "Rapporto Statistico 2010" (PDF). Statistiche sulle fonti rinnovabili (in Italian). Gestore Servizi Energetici (GSE). Retrieved 4 January 2012.[permanent dead link‍]