Brasília – In 2012, Itaipu Binational was the hydroelectric plant that produced the most power in the world, at 98.287 million megawatts-hour (MWh). The plant has retained the first position since 1997. Installed along the Paraná River, at the Brazil-Paraguay border, Itaipu accounts for 19.9% of all electric power consumed in Brazil, and for 80% of the power distributed in Paraguay.
Celso Torino, the Itaipu operations superintendent, says the main competitor is China’s Three Gorges Dam, which generated 98.107 million MWh last year. He explains that although the Chinese dam has 60% more generation equipment, nature does not contribute for the output to increase. There are periods of the year in which the Yangtze River freezes.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
