Itaipu Dam: reviews, price and practical tips

Visiting Itaipu Dam

Itaipu Dam, built between 1975 and 1982, stands as the second largest hydroelectric plant in the world after the Three Gorges Dam in China. Located on the border between Brazil and Paraguay, along the Rio Paraná, its construction forced the relocation of over 10,000 families and the flooding of nearly 1,500 square kilometers of forest and farmland. The project also submerged the Cascades des 7 chutes (Seven Falls), a set of 19 natural waterfalls once famous for having the highest water flow volume on the planet.

A massive dam on the Paraná River

The decision to build a hydroelectric plant at this location was formalized with the signing of the Itaipu Treaty in April 1973. The Paraná River was diverted during construction, an effort that required the labor of over 40,000 people, 12,500,000 cubic meters of concrete, and enough steel to build 380 replicas of the Eiffel Tower. Stretching over 7 kilometers, the dam now operates 20 turbine generators, each with a nominal power capacity of 700 megawatts.

The sheer scale of the structure led the American Society of Civil Engineers to name it one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World in 1994. Each year, the dam provides nearly 30 percent of the energy consumed in Brazil and meets almost all of the electricity needs of Paraguay.

Ecological and social impact

From the start of construction, environmental protection measures were put in place. Most notably, the Mymba Kuera operation rescued nearly 4,500 animals from the rising waters. Most of the displaced families were relocated to the town of Medianeira, and some eventually joined the Landless Workers' Movement.