Os Peares reservoir, embalse de auga no río Miño
Os Peares reservoir is a hydroelectric dam on the Miño River in Galicia, completed in 1955. The water body covers about 535 hectares, held back by a 94-meter-high concrete structure, and currently generates around 200 megawatts of electricity for the region.
Dam construction began in 1945 after Spain's civil war, when the country faced severe energy shortages and supply difficulties. This was the first major hydroelectric project on the Miño River, and it became Galicia's largest dam at the time, providing reliable power to support industrial growth and local communities.
The dam is accessible via a road crossing the top that connects both sides of the river, with several viewpoints along the route. Small boat trips on the reservoir are popular, and the western shore has a pier for easy boarding while the area suits quiet walks and nature observation.
The name Peares comes from the Galician word for stepping stones that once helped people cross the rivers, now submerged beneath the reservoir's waters. These historic crossing points serve as reminders of how the landscape has transformed from a place of human passage to one of managed water storage.
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