The largest producer of Hydroelectric Power on the planet

The largest producer of Hydroelectric Power on the planet

The Itaipú dam is the largest producer of hydroelectric power on the planet.

This dam that shares a border between Brazil and Paraguay and whose name, translated from Guaraní (language of the peoples of the area) means sounding stone, is the largest energy generator on our planet.

It produced in 2016 more than 103 million megawatts / hour, which is equivalent to supplying a country like Spain for almost a year with electrical energ

Itaipu drinks from the waters of the Paraná River, which provides it with 12,000 cubic meters of water per second, with hardly any seasonal variations. It also holds the record for the greatest accumulated energy produced during its 35-year history.

This pharaonic work is an accumulation of amazing data. Since its inauguration on May 5, 1984, after an investment of more than 36,000 million dollars, it has not stopped incorporating generating turbines until reaching the current 20 (of 700MW each).

Although 2 always remain in reserve to replace eventual failures of the other turbines.

The dam’s capacity is 29,000 Hm3 and it covers about 1,350 km2. Its height is 190 meters and the water suffers a free fall of 120.

The total installed power amounts to 14,000 Mw and the plant produces a nominal voltage of 18 Kw.

It is also technically curious to produce energy with a frequency of 50 Hertz for Paraguay with a power factor of 0.85 and to produce for Brazil at a frequency of 60 Hertz with a power factor of 0.95.

In some media they compare the Itaipú plant with the dam of the 3 gorges of the Yangtze River in China, although this is also a colossal work, it should be noted that the energy is generated by various hydroelectric stations and still have never exceeded the established figure by Itaipú