The second largest hydroelectric power plant in the world: Itaipu Hydroelectric Power Plant
The Itaipu Dam is built on the Paraná River which flows between Brazil and Paraguay, with a total length of 7,744 meters and a height of 196 meters. . After two electricity and energy crises in the 1970s, the Brazilian government decided to jointly build the world's largest hydroelectric plant with the Paraguayan government. Construction of the dam began in October 1975 and was not completed until 1982, costing a total of US$20 billion. The reservoir behind the dam extends along the river for 161 kilometers, forming an artificial lake with a depth of 250 meters, an area of 1,350 square kilometers and a total water storage capacity of 29 billion cubic meters. Since its upgrade in 1990, the 18 turbines of the Itaipu hydroelectric plant have produced 12.6 millions of kilowatts of electricity.
The electricity produced by the Itaipu hydroelectric plant is shared by Brazil and Paraguay. It can not only meet all of Paraguay's electricity needs, but also provide more than 30% of Brazil's electricity consumption. 38% of electricity in major industrial areas such as São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Minas Gerais comes from the Itaipu hydroelectric plant.