Itaipu

Itaipu is a hydroelectric dam and power plant on the Paraná River, on the border between Brazil and Paraguay. It is situated near the city of Foz do Iguaçu in Brazil and Ciudad del Este in Paraguay. The project created Itaipu Lake, a large reservoir that covers a substantial area along the river.

The dam was developed by Itaipu Binacional, a bi-national entity created in 1973 by Brazil and Paraguay to construct and operate the project. Construction began in 1975 and the facility began commercial operation in 1982. It is one of the largest hydroelectric facilities in the world in terms of installed capacity and annual energy generation.

The power plant comprises 20 turbine-generators, each with a nominal capacity of 700 megawatts, for a total installed capacity of 14,000 megawatts. The dam itself is a massive structure spanning several kilometers of the river. The Itaipu Reservoir has an area of about 1,350 square kilometers and a water volume on the order of tens of cubic kilometers.

Energy production is shared between Brazil and Paraguay under a 50/50 agreement. Brazil receives a substantial portion of the output to feed its electrical grid, while Paraguay uses its allocated share for domestic consumption and trade. Itaipu’s annual generation has historically been among the highest for hydroelectric plants, contributing a significant share of electricity for both countries.

The project has had notable environmental and social impacts, including land displacement and ecosystem changes due to the reservoir. Mitigation and environmental management efforts are part of ongoing operations. The site is also a destination for tourism and education, with facilities on both sides of the border.