Itaipu Dam | Description, Location, & Output - Encyclopedia Britannica

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Itaipú Dam, hollow gravity dam on the Alto (Upper) Paraná River at the Brazil-Paraguay border. It is located north of the town of Ciudad del Este, Paraguay.

In terms of power output, Itaipú Dam is one of the world’s largest hydroelectric projects. Its 20 massive turbine generators, located in the powerhouse at the base of the dam, are capable of generating 14,000 megawatts of electricity. Built as a joint venture by Paraguay and Brazil, the complex of dams and spillways curves across almost 8 km (5 miles) of the Alto Paraná River. The dam itself, built between 1975 and 1982, is 196 metres (643 feet) high and consists of large concrete segments joined to form a hollow chamber. The upstream face is supported by two buttresses, and the downstream face is a simple concrete slab. It is one of the highest and largest hollow gravity dams in the world. Its reservoir stretches northward for about 160 km (100 miles), and it has totally submerged the formerly spectacular Guaíra Falls.

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica This article was most recently revised and updated by Melissa Petruzzello.