According to a report by EFE on October 2, the San Antonio Hydropower Station, Brazil’s fourth largest hydropower station, suspended operations on the 2nd due to the continued drought in the Amazon River Basin and the drop in the water level of the Madeira River. The hydropower station has an installed capacity of 3,568 megawatts. According to reports, the operator of the hydropower station issued a statement saying that the reason for suspending operations was that the lowest water level of the Madeira River was 50% lower than the historical average water level, threatening the safety of the 50 turbines of the hydropower station.
This is the first time that this hydropower station in the Brazilian state of Rondonia has been shut down due to water shortages in the Amazon River Basin.
The operator also said that it is currently impossible to predict when the hydropower station, which accounts for about 4% of Brazil's power generation, will resume operation.
The local civil protection department said that the water level of the Madeira River fell below a record low of 1.43 meters as it flowed through the city of Porto Velho, the capital of Rondonia state.
According to the report, Brazil’s National Natural Disaster Monitoring and Warning Center stated that the current drought in the Amazon River Basin may be historic and will last until January next year.