Poor hydropower output continued for US utility Idacorp into the first quarter, which saw generation down on the same period last year.
Hydro generation in Q1 was down a 46% share of total generation compared to 51% in the comparable period of 2007.
The weakened hydropower output has carried over from the difficult year the utility experienced in 2007. The utility said that poor hydrological conditions have led to the fall in hydro output.
Last year, hydro generation was down by a third to 6,200GWh compared to 2006 but was within the revised estimate range given mid-year.
Idacorp said the outlook for April-July inflows to Brownlee reservoir is only for 44% of the 30-year average measured flow, but would be still three-quarters more than the volume for the comparable period in 2007. The outlook is based ion data from the US Weather Service’s Northwest River Forecast Center.
The utility group noted that the precipitation in the first four months of this year was less than 50% of normal. It therefore anticipates that its Idaho Power business will achieve annual hydro generation of the 6,000 GWh-8,000GWh range in 2008.