Belo Monte Supplied Nearly 10% of Brazil’s Electricity Demand During New Year Week

Heat wave affecting Brazil’s Southeast drove national power consumption above 91 GW during peak hours between Sunday (28) and Thursday (1).

Belo Monte Supplied Nearly 10% of Brazil’s Electricity Demand During New Year Week

The heat wave impacting Brazil’s Southeast region significantly contributed to the increase in national electricity consumption in the final days of 2025, pushing demand above levels forecast by the National Electric System Operator (ONS).

In capitals such as Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, temperatures were up to 8°C higher than expected for this time of year, leading to a higher load on the National Interconnected System (SIN). With electricity demand exceeding 91 GW during peak hours between Sunday (28) and Thursday (1), the Belo Monte Hydroelectric Power Plant generated an average of 8.55 GW. This figure corresponds to 9.3% of national demand—enough to supply approximately 28 million households.

On January 1st, the New Year’s Day public holiday, peak national demand reached 85 GW. On that day, Belo Monte generated 7.2 GW, representing 8.5% of total demand and sufficient to power around 23.6 million homes.

During the Christmas week, between Monday (22) and Saturday (27), high temperatures also contributed to increased electricity demand. Peak consumption ranged between 85 GW and 100 GW. Belo Monte’s contribution during these periods accounted for between 5% and 7% of total demand, enough to supply up to 19.6 million households.

These figures highlight how essential Belo Monte’s generation is to Brazil’s power system. While the Southeast and Central-West regions are in summer—preserving water so reservoir levels remain higher during drier periods—the North of Brazil, where Belo Monte is located, enters the Amazonian winter, when rainfall increases and water availability for power generation is greater.

Unlike many other hydroelectric plants, Belo Monte does not have a large storage reservoir, as it operates as a run-of-river facility. As a result, its highest energy generation coincides with the rainiest period of the year.

This dynamic shows how the project functions as a “battery” for Brazil’s electricity system, playing a key role in supporting the recovery of reservoirs in the Southeast and Central-West regions, reducing pressure on them and limiting the need to dispatch more polluting energy sources.

The year 2025

In 2025, the Belo Monte Complex achieved results above those recorded in 2024, a year marked by reduced rainfall due to the El Niño phenomenon. As a result, the plants within the complex closed last year with total generation of 30,691 GWh, equivalent to supplying an average of 6% of Brazil’s annual electricity load.

This amount of energy would be enough to meet approximately 21 days of the country’s average national consumption over the year. Until October, the company remained at the top of Brazil’s generation ranking, reinforcing its relevance in the national energy landscape.

About the Belo Monte Hydroelectric Power Plant

Belo Monte is the largest 100% Brazilian-owned hydroelectric plant, the fifth largest in the world, and one of the country’s main sources of clean, renewable energy. Located in the municipality of Vitória do Xingu, in the state of Pará, it plays a strategic role in the National Interconnected System (SIN), contributing to a low-carbon electricity matrix and to the sustainable development of the Amazon region.

Altamira, Pará – January 2, 2026

Belo Monte Supplied Nearly 10% of Brazil’s Electricity Demand During New Year Week