Itaipu Dam, Hydroelectric power station in Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil and Hernandarias, Paraguay.
The dam stretches 7,700 meters (25,262 feet) across the Paraná River and houses 20 generating units producing electricity for Brazil and Paraguay. The structure combines gravity, buttress, and embankment dam designs across different sections of the overall barrier.
Construction started in 1970 through a partnership between Brazil and Paraguay, employing 40,000 workers before its official inauguration in May 1984. The Treaty of Itaipu was signed by both nations in 1973, establishing joint development and operation of the facility.
The name comes from Guaraní words meaning „the singing stone,
The facility generates electricity at different frequencies: 50 Hertz for Paraguay's power grid and 60 Hertz for Brazil's distribution system. Guided tours are available and include access to viewpoints overlooking the reservoir and turbine halls.
The power plant has generated over 2.9 billion Megawatt-hours of electricity, making it the single facility with the highest energy generation in history. The concrete used during construction would have been sufficient to build 210 stadiums the size of Maracanã.
Location: Hernandarias District
Location: Foz do Iguaçu
Inception: 1970s
Architects: Brasil-Paraguay Mixed Technical Commission
Official opening: November 7, 1982
Length: 7,700 m
Part of: Seven Wonders of the Modern World
Website: https://itaipu.gov.br
GPS coordinates: -25.40778,-54.59000
Latest update: November 27, 2025 21:09
Navigation locks are engineering structures that enable ships to pass through significant elevation changes between seas, lakes, and rivers. From the Panama Canal, where vessels rise 86 feet (26 meters) to cross the Isthmus, to the Three Gorges Dam in China, featuring five-stage locks managing a 371-foot (113-meter) height difference on the Yangtze River, these technical facilities have transformed global trade routes. The Soo Locks in the United States connect the Great Lakes, while the Kiel Canal in Germany links the North Sea to the Baltic Sea. Some structures, such as the Itaipu Dam between Brazil and Paraguay, combine navigation and hydroelectric power generation with a capacity of 14,000 megawatts. Others stand out with their innovative technical solutions: the boat lift in Peterborough, Canada, has used a hydraulic system since 1904, while the Falkirk Wheel in Scotland employs a rotating mechanism to lift 24 meters (79 feet). These facilities play a crucial role in international commerce and economic growth of the regions they serve.
Paraguay features a combination of natural sites, historical structures, and cultural institutions. In the capital Asunción, central buildings include the López Palace, the National Museum, and the National Pantheon of Heroes. The waterfront promenade runs along the river. The city contains several museums, including the Barro Museum with folk art and the Independence House. Religious structures include the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption. The Botanical Garden includes a zoo. The Itapúa region contains two Jesuit reductions: Santísima Trinidad de Paraná and Jesús de Tavarangüé, both from the 17th and 18th centuries. In Ciudad del Este, the second largest city, modern shopping centers include Nissei and Monalisa, along with the Itaipú hydroelectric dam on the Brazilian border. The Monday Falls are located nearby. The Friendship Bridge connects Paraguay to Brazil. Natural areas include Lake Ypacaraí, a 90 square kilometer lake (35 square miles) near Asunción, and Ybycuí National Park with hiking trails and waterfalls. San Bernardino on the shores of Lake Ypacaraí has a viewpoint and a church. The Siete Saltos waterfalls are in the northern Salto del Guairá region.
Iguaçu Falls
35.4 km
Devil's Throat
35.6 km
Friendship Bridge
11.4 km
Iguaçu National Park
34.5 km
Saltos del Monday
17.8 km
Feirinha Puerto Iguazú
20.8 km
Tancredo Neves Bridge
20.4 km
Itaipu Reservoir
43.3 km
Estádio Olímpico Regional Arnaldo Busatto
119.7 km
Reserva natural estricta San Antonio
104.8 km
Buddhist Temple of Foz do Iguaçu
7.5 km
Parque das Aves
25.4 km
Rainforest Ecological Train
33.9 km
Omar Ibn Al-Khatab Mosque
12.6 km
Isla de San Martín
34.5 km
Sierra de la Victoria
89.7 km
Geoparque Horacio Foerster
85.5 km
Trinational Biodiversity Corridor
20.5 km
Teatro Municipal de Toledo
114.8 km
Christ the King Cathedral, Toledo
114.1 km
Estadio Juan Eudes Pereira
16.7 km
Estadio Km 12 Monday
17.3 km
Cathedral of San Juan Bautista
15.5 km
Iguazu National Park
40.6 km
Museo Municipal Adolfo Julio Schwelm
112 km
Cine Cataratas
15.5 km
Gramadão da Vila A
9.9 km
Hospital De Puerto Iguazú Marta Teodora Schwarz
21.6 kmReviews
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