S&P Global Platts recently announced the winners of its 2018 Global Energy Awards, and three of them have direct ties to hydroelectric power.
First, Complejo Hidroelectrico Renace/CMI Energia won in the category of Corporate Social Responsibility Award: Diversified Program. In its December 2018 Insight magazine, S&P Global Platts says CMI Energia is “one of Central America’s top producers of renewable energy” and praises its “diversified approach to serving Guatemala’s indigenous population.”
This references the Renace Hydroelectric Power Complex on the Cahabon River in the municipality of San Pedro Carcha, district of Alta Verapaz. The project is located in a rural area comprised of 21 communities with a population of about 21,000 Q’eqchi, an indigenous ethnic group. CMI Energia “took charge without a safety net or external support to improve living conditions for people of the region,” due to concern about the area’s underdeveloped social and economic indicators. Programs implemented tackled food security, education, health education, employment, and community infrastructure (including meeting spaces and roads).
Other winners with ties to hydro are:
- Chief Executive of the Year — Thomas Fanning, Southern Company, U.S., who was chosen for his “thriving portfolio and track record of success, as well as his profoundly positive impact on the direction of the industry.” About 10% of the company’s total generating capacity comes from hydroelectricity.
- Award of Excellence: Power — Engie, France, which was cited to be “nimble and unafraid of long-term risks and a large-scale company that executes very well.” Hydropower accounts for 14% of Engie’s installed generating capacity.
