Itaipu Dam
Introduction
The Itaipú hydroelectric plant (in Guaraní: Yjoko Itaipu "sounding stone", in Portuguese: Usina Hidrelétrica de Itaipu) or ITAIPU Binacional is a binational hydroelectric plant located between the cities of Hernandarias "Hernandarias (Paraguay)"), in Paraguay and Foz do Iguaçu, in Brazil, on the Paraná River, on the border of the countries. 14 km north of the International Friendship Bridge. The area involved in the project extends from Foz do Iguaçu (Brazil) and Ciudad del Este (Paraguay) to the south and to Guaíra (Brazil) and Salto del Guairá (Paraguay) to the north.[2].
ITAIPU Binacional, operational since 1984, holds the title of "largest energy producer on the planet" with production in 2015.[3][4] It is also the dam with the highest accumulated production, with 2.5 billion MWh[5][6][7][8][9] since the beginning of operation. The ITAIPU dam has an installed electrohydraulic generation power of 14,000 MW, with 20 Francis turbines generating 700 MW and its construction required a cost of 36 billion dollars for the two partner countries. It was for a long time the largest hydroelectric power station in the world, until 2011 when it was surpassed by the Three Gorges Dam in China.[2].
Its wall, made of concrete, rock and earth, is located 14 km north of the Friendship Bridge, bordering the Paraguayan city of Hernandarias, in the Alto Paraná department on its western margin, and with Foz do Iguaçu, in the state of Paraná, Brazil, on its eastern margin; Likewise, it is 16.2 km north of the bridge that connects the city of Foz do Iguaçu with the Argentine city of Puerto Iguazú.[10] It has a gross drop of 120 m. This dam creates a reservoir (artificial lake) of about 29,000 hm³ of water, with an extension of about 200 km in a straight line, and an approximate area of 1,400 km². When it was built it left the Guairá Falls extinct but when the level drops you can see a part of these waterfalls, which were the largest on the Paraná River.
The energy generated by Itaipú destined for Brazil is managed by the company ENBPar"), and the energy destined for Paraguay by the National Electricity Administration (ANDE).
History
Background
The dam is the result of a diplomatic maneuver to avoid a war between Paraguay and Brazil over a border issue. The border problem had its genesis in the Treaty of Loizaga-Cotegipe"), which established peace and new borders between Paraguay and Brazil after the war against the Triple Alliance that was signed on January 9, 1872 in Asunción.