The authority explained that “the total quantities of water consumed from the lake during the month amounted to about 21 million cubic meters, of which about 19 million cubic meters were used to produce hydroelectric power in the Abdel-Al, Arqash and Helou plants, while the difference is mainly due to the loss resulting from natural evaporation from the surface of the lake. Water from Ain Zarqa was also diverted to meet the irrigation needs of the Al-Qasimiya project. The reserve of Lake Qaraoun at the end of August amounted to about 91 million cubic meters, while approximately 50 million meters must be preserved.” cubic meters as a strategic reserve for the coming year, leaving about 41 million cubic meters usable during the remaining months of the current year within a calculated inventory management.
Based on these data, the Authority is working to reprogram the quantities of water allocated for hydroelectric energy production during the months of September, October, November and December, in a way that ensures the sustainability of production and at the same time preserves the strategic reserve of Lake Qaraoun.
To this end, the Authority will adopt an operational capacity of up to 30 megawatts instead of about 40 megawatts currently approved, which allows rationalizing the use of the remaining water and distributing it over the coming months in a way that ensures the continuity of production without affecting the water reserve that must be preserved for the coming year.”
She stressed that “the management of hydropower production will remain subject to a balanced equation between investing available water resources, ensuring continuity of production, and preserving the strategic reserve.”
