Itaipú Dam: The world's largest hydroelectric plant
Picture of Itaipu Dam in Brazil and Paraguay. The Itaipú hydroelectric power plant is the largest development of its kind in operation in the world. Built from 1975 to 1991, in a joint development on the Paraná River, Itaipú represents the efforts and accomplishments of two neighboring countries, Brazil and Paraguay. The power plant's 18 generating units add up to a total production capacity of 12,600 MW (megawatts) and a reliable output of 75 million MWh a year.
The magnitude of the project also can be demonstrated by the fact that in 1995 Itaipú alone provided 25% of the energy supply in Brazil and 78% in Paraguay. The Spillway is located on the right bank, and it has 14 segmented sluice-gates with a total potential discharge rate of 62,200 cubic meters per second (twice that of the highest flood-level on record).