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ITAIPU HYDROELECTRIC POWER STATION
The Itaipu power station was formed by collaboration between Brazil and Paraguay. The objective was, for both countries to use the hydroelectric potential of the river Paraná. The dam covers 15 municipal areas in the East of Paraná and one in Mato Grosso do Sul. Itaipu received its name from a small island in the middle of the river, where the actual power station was built. The Indians called the island “Itaipu”, which means “the singing stone” because of the singing noise which the flowing water causes when it hits the rock. Because of its dimensions the Itaipu power station is regarded as the “ work of the century”. According to a world wide survey by the association of American civil engineers it is recognized as one of the seven wonders of the modern world. More material was used and more laborers employed than for the construction of the Euro tunnel. The construction of the power station commenced 17th October 1974 and the 18th turbine was started in 1991. By the year 2003 Itaipu will add 2 more turbines with a capacity of 700 MW each and increase its potential to 14 000 MW. At present Itaipu produces 12 600 MW with 18 generators; each generator has a capacity of 700 MW, nine of them with a frequency of 60 Hertz (Brazil) and nine with a capacity of 50 Hertz (Paraguay). In 1997 the power station produced 89,2 billion KW/hour, an achievement which is difficult to equal. The energy produced in the year 1997 was sufficient to supply the whole of Brazil with power for three months. The hydroelectric project under construction in China envisages an even higher potential (4 200 MW higher than Itaipu). But the marked variations in the water level of the river make it questionable as to whether the yearly energy production will in fact reach Itaipu´s output, because the water flow of the river Paraná remains fairly constant throughout the year.
Today Itaipu is responsible for the energy production of the South, South-west and Central-West of Brazil. Because of its importance as a gigantic engineering achievement and because of its impressive design, the Itaipu power station receives 500 000 tourists per year. Since it was opened to the public in 1977 it has been visited by 10 million people from 165 including Germany, Spain, USA, France, Italy, Japan and Uruguay.
Main Tours Available in Argentinean side of The Iguazu FallsECOLOGICAL TRAIN TO THE JUNGLE THE GREAT ADVENTURE - IGUAZU FALLS ITAIPU HYDROELECTRICAL POWER STATION |
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