Itaipu Hydroelectric Dam

By Ibrahim Qureshi
What is the Itaipu Hydroelectric Dam

 Itaipu Hydroelectric Dam is the world’s second-largest operational

hydroelectric power plant in terms of installed power. With an installed
generation capacity of 14GW, the plant is operated by Itaipu Binacional and
located on the border between Brazil and Paraguay. Energy generated by
Itaipu helps to meet the demands of the two countries. Approximately 90% of
the energy generated by the plant is used by Brazil.

 The Itaipu dam and the hydroelectric plant are on the Paraná River. The
construction of the dam began in February 1971 and cost $19.6bn. The first
unit began generating power in May 1984 and the second generating unit
started operating the same year. Itaipu has 20 generating units, each with a
capacity of 700MW.
What is the Itaipu Hydroelectric Dam

 The dam’s reservoir, which covers an area of 1,350km², is the seventh-largest

reservoir in Brazil with the best coefficient of water utilisation of
10.4MW/km². Itaipu generated 79.44 million MWh of energy in 2019, while
plant achieved a milestone in 2016 by setting a new world record for annual
power generation with a production of 103.1 million MWh.
why was the itaipu hydroelectric dam
built on the parana river
 Panara river is the Second longest river in the world so there was a lot of
water flow where the dam was to be built.
 The Parana Rivers drainage basin, with an area of about 1,081,000 square
miles (2,800,000 square km)
 The area where the dam was built was not very populated but was very large
so there was plenty of space to build the dam.
 The water force was twice more than the Niagara falls as the Guaira Falls was
located on the river.
itaipu hydroelectric dams benefits

 The dam is a major source of electricity for both countries, particularly Paraguay,
for which the dam is a structural element of the country’s economy. Around 10% of
the public revenues of the country are derived from ‘royalties’ (compensation
payments) related to two binational hydroelectric facilities – the Itaipu and Yacyretá
Hydroelectric Dams.
 For Brazil, the dam is a source of energy obtained at stable prices. In both countries,
it has contributed to the development of a whole region around the reservoir.
 The Government of Brazil uses parts of the proceeds from the sales of generated
hydroelectric power in social and environmental protection measures for local
communities and habitats within and surrounding the dam reservoir, as prescribed by
the Brazilian Constitution of 1988 and related legislation. The allocation key provides
that the areas most impacted by the dam receive the largest share of the revenues.
 Since 2003, Itaipu Binacional has been conducting social and environmental
protection activities, as mandated by the Brazilian and Paraguayan
Governments in 2005. These activities are diverse and mostly aimed at
educating the local population to live with the dam, benefiting both the local
populations and the company in a win-win situation.
Activities carried out at the dam are

 agricultural productivity and fishery protection

 water quality control
 creation of protected areas for biodiversity around the reservoir
 development of aquaculture
 rehabilitation and development support for indigenous communities
 health services to local
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