Brazil hydropower shifts to flexibility role as wind/solar share rises

Brazil's hydropower share fell from 65.2% to 51.7% (2016–2025) while wind/solar rose to 26.4%, per EPE. ONS now requires hydro plants to ramp up/down more frequently to balance intermittent renewables, increasing unit start-ups and shutdowns. This marks a structural shift in grid operations, with implications for hydro asset wear, maintenance costs, and system reliability.