Net hydropower inflow for week 28 was estimated to be about 120% of normal. Interestingly, despite extreme flooding in several areas, the net hydropower inflow did not exceed 104% of normal in Germany. This is strongly connected to the reduction in power from run-of-river plants when the river flow exceeds the production capacity. This happened in France and Austria too - illustrations of the correlation between river flows and run-of-river production below.
The chart shows how the flow rate in Rhone downstream Lyon, the most important run-of-river part of the French system, increased strongly from July 13th, despite the run-of-river production levels decreasing - due to needed reductions where flowrates exceeded the production capacity. As the flowrate hit more than 4000 m3/s, it seems the production capacity was close to 2000 m3/s. The chart shows how the flow rate in Rhone downstream Lyon, the most important run-of-river part of the French system, increased strongly from July 13th, despite the run-of-river production levels decreasing - due to needed reductions where flowrates exceeded the production capacity. As the flowrate hit more than 4000 m3/s, it seems the production capacity was close to 2000 m3/s.