The purpose of this study is to identify forest ecosystems that provide hydrological ecosystem services (HES) relevant for the adaptive capacity to climate change in the hydropower sector of Costa Rica. We assessed a methodological framework that considers spatial linkages between land use, capacity of the ecosystem to produce environmental services, and the utility that hydropower plants derive from those HES in a context of vulnerability to climatic events. Hydropower plants receive HES from 24% of the national territory, where forest cover represents 52% of land use. The watersheds of Rio Reventazón, Grande de Tárcoles and Grande de Terraba are the more important in terms of area providing HES. Approximately 70% of forest ecosystems identified during the course of this study providing HES to the hydropower sector are currently outside the national protected areas system. The results of this study are relevant for the implementation of adaptive management plans in forest ecosystems providing HES, and thus, improve the resilience to climate change in the hydropower sector.