Fotos

This is the largest hydroelectric power plant in the world. Built in the Parana river, on the frontier between Brazil and Paraguay, the Itaipu power plant is responsible for the generation of 25% of the electric energy consumed by Brazil and 90% of that of Paraguay. With 18 generator units (700 MW each) and two others under construction, Itaipu will go from 12600 MW to 14000 MW...more than twice that of the Grand Coulee plant in the USA. It is considered one of the 7 wonders of the modern world. The rate of construction was equivalent to that of a 20 storey building every 55 minutes! The total volumn of concrete would build 210 stadiums like Maracana in Rio. The construction of iron and steel used at Itaipu would build 380 Eiffel towers! And the spillway can handle a flow 40 times greater than the average of the Iguassu falls! A colossal construction!