Quito: Hydropower in the Pipes

The Metropolitan Public Water and Sanitation Company of Quito (EPMAPS), has built a pioneering water-energy resilience model that generates electricity directly inside its water pipelines. With two major hydropower plants and smaller distributed units embedded in high-pressure zones, the utility now supplies 80% of its own electricity, stabilises operations during national blackouts, and safeguards water supply for millions of residents. During the 2024 national blackout, the system sustained pumping operations and even supplied power back to the grid, preventing citywide water shortages. 

EPMAPS’ implementation process reflects three decades of incremental engineering, multi-actor coordination, and adaptive expansion:

Hydropower embedded within pipelines

• Turbines are installed in high-pressure zones of the water network.
• The design allows electricity generation without interrupting flow, maintaining full service levels.
• Plants operate continuously, powering treatment plants, pumping stations, and administrative operations.

Phased development and long-term strategy

• Initial investments began in the 1990s with the Recuperadora (14.7 MW) plant.
• Expanded with the Carmen (8.3 MW) plant and a suite of small-scale hydropower units integrated across the network.
• The system is monitored, optimised and progressively adapted to new demand, technology, and resilience needs.

Operational continuity during disruptions

• System design ensures self-supply capacity during grid instability.
• In the 2024 national blackout, hydropower kept critical water operations running and even provided electricity back to the national grid, preventing a citywide service collapse. 

Diversification toward solar and floating PV

• Plans to install solar PV on EPMAPS buildings and facilities for additional self-consumption.
• Design of floating PV on reservoirs, reducing evaporation and increasing solar performance by 10-20%.
• These expansions move Quito toward a more diversified, flexible and climate-aligned energy portfolio. 

EPMAPS’ model depends on coordinated governance across public utilities, regulators, universities, and communities:

• EPMAPS - system owner and operator
• Empresa Eléctrica Quito - permits, grid connection
• Ministry of Environment & municipal departments - regulatory alignment
• Universities - modelling, performance optimisation
• Local communities - land access, co-management of rural microgrids

EPMAPS’ model implies structured engagement and strategic communication:

• Community participation in rural microgrid projects
• Technical data shared with universities for research
• Coordination with national authorities during grid outages

EPMAPS finances resilience through operational savings and energy-market revenue.

• Hydropower reduces electricity expenditure
• Surplus power sold back to the national market
• Combined use of self-generation and grid purchases optimises cost and stability

Quito now operates one of the most resilient municipal water–energy systems in the region:

• Water services remained uninterrupted during national blackout
• Reduced energy costs and strengthened financial sustainability
• Improved reliability for critical services and households
• Scalable pathway for integrated water–energy resilience

Key structural and technical challenges shape future expansion:

• Regulatory approvals for solar and floating PV
• Technical complexity inside pressurised water systems
• Need for continuous coordination with national grid operator
• Integration of new technologies with legacy infrastructure

Quito’s water-powered hydropower model offers a replicable low-carbon resilience strategy for cities with gravity-fed systems, mountainous terrain, or vulnerable energy grids. Its success rests on:

• Strong municipal utility leadership
• Long-term incremental investments
• Cross-sector permitting and governance
• Community participation
• A financing model combining self-consumption + surplus revenue

Quito shows how essential service providers can transform existing assets into distributed clean-energy systems-strengthening urban resilience, lowering costs, and securing water and energy for millions under growing climate and energy stress.

• UTMC Practical Implementation Guide: Resilient Urban Energy Systems
• Video: How Quito Generates Clean Energy Through Its Water Network
• EPMAPS – Agua de Quito

Metropolitan Public Water and Sanitation Company of Quito (EPMAPS)
Municipality of Quito, Ecuador