Guanaquitas 9.74 MW Hydroelectric project

Audit Analysis

The Guanaquitas 9.74 MW hydro project has a solid additionality assessment (combined test confirmed by TÜV NORD) and a jurisdictional baseline, but the validation record reveals nine corrective actions and five clarification letters indicating significant PDD deficiencies at submission. No monitoring or verification reports are available despite the project having been operational since October 2020, and a contradiction exists on whether leakage was deemed negligible or quantified. The project is moderately credible on paper but lacks the ongoing verification evidence needed to confirm actual credit delivery.

Project Description

Red Flags

• ⚠Nine corrective actions and five clarification letters were required at validation, indicating material gaps in the PDD baseline calculation, grid emission factor sourcing, and project participant identification
• ⚠Contradiction between the PDD (leakage 'deemed negligible') and an appendix (leakage 'quantified') creates uncertainty about the actual leakage treatment
• ⚠No verification or monitoring reports are available in the extracted record despite the crediting period beginning in October 2020, making it impossible to confirm actual generation against the 143,457 tCO₂e lifetime claim
• ⚠No Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) or grievance mechanism is documented, despite safeguards being mentioned in the PDD

Credit Vintages