The Itaipu hydroelectric dam is a joint venture of Brazil and Paraguay in the upper region of the Paraná River. It is the world's largest hydroelectric power station in terms of energy generation and considered one of the seven modern wonders of the world. The Itaipu Dam, located near Ciudad del Este in east Paraguay, can be visited on a guided tour by bus and has an informative visitors’ centre.
Visit Itaipu Dam, One of the Seven Modern Wonders of the World
A visit to the Itaipu hydroelectric power plant consists of two parts. After buying a ticket the visitor can watch a 30-minute film about the construction of the dam where one can't fail to notice the propaganda aspect – the upsides of this project are far more accentuated than the downsides.
Despite the economic advantages this hydroelectric dam has for both countries, they come at a price, viz. the huge environmental impact this project has. For example, the stretch of the Paraná River that was allocated for the construction of the dam used to be home to the "Salto de Sete Quedas" [Seven Waterfalls], which were larger than the Iguazu Falls.
The second part of the tour is a bus tour over the premises of the Itaipu Dam's site. A guide explains facts and figures while the bus drives along the exterior of the construction, offering views of the chutes and the lake, and stops at a large platform where the visitor has the opportunity to take pictures. Unfortunately, it is impossible to visit the interior of the dam.
Facts and Figures About the World's Largest Hydroelectric Dam
The numbers with regards to Itaipu's Dam are staggering:
- The construction of the Itaipu Dam took 16 years [1975-1991], for which 50 million tons of rock were moved.
- The dam is 643 feet high and almost 5 miles long.
- The hydroelectric power plant has 20 generators which have a capacity of 14,000 megawatts.
- The construction of the Itaipu Dam cost 25 billion US dollars.
- The dam supplies 90% of Paraguay's energy and 25% of Brazil's electric power.
- Even though the dam is owned equally by Brazil and Paraguay, Paraguay's sovereignty has at last been acknowledged in 2009.
- In 1995 the Itaipu Dam was nominated as one of the seven modern wonders of the world by the American Society of Civil Engineers.
On the viewpoint platform large billboards explain facts and figures to put the humungous size of this hydroelectric dam into some perspective:
- The volume of iron and steel used in the Itaipu Dam structure would be enough to build 380 Eiffel Towers or 5 Hoover Dams.
- The volume of concrete used in Itaipu represents 15 times the volume utilized to build the Channel Tunnel between France and England.
- The dam is as high as a 65-story building.
Practical Information on Guided Tours to Itaipu Dam in Paraguay
To visit the Itaipu Dam does not need a lot of preparation:
- Tours are free of charge.
- Tours leave daily at frequent hours from the visitors’ centre on the site of the Itaipu Dam.
- Regular buses ply between Ciudad del Este and the Itaipu Dam.
- A passport is required for identification.
- During the summer there is a special light show [7.30pm], for which reservations are required.
A Visit to the Itaipu Dam near Ciudad del Este
During a tour of the Itaipu Dam in Paraguay the visitor can't fail to be overwhelmed by the staggering proportions of this hydroelectric project – it is understandably one of the seven modern wonders of the world. The visit to the dam's visitors’ centre and the bus tour give an insight into the economic advantages of the dam for Brazil and Paraguay and – to a lesser extent – into the environmental impact of the Itaipu Dam's construction.
Interested in travelling to Paraguay? Check out seven good reasons to visit Paraguay.
Karin-Marijke Vis - Karin-Marijke Vis is a bilingual writer (Dutch-English) who has been traveling in Asia and South America since 2003.
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