Barra Grande Hydroelectric Power Plant
Encyclopedia
The Barra Grande Hydroelectric Power Plant is a dam
and hydroelectric power plant on the Pelotas River
near Celso Ramos
on the border of Santa Catarina
and Rio Grande do Sul
, Brazil
. The power station has a 708 MW capacity and is supplied with water by a concrete face rock-fill embankment dam
, the second tallest dam in Brazil. It is owned and operated by Energética Barra Grande SA (BAESA) and produces a 30% equivalent of the demand in Santa Catarina.
42.2%, Companhia Paulista de Força e Luz (CPFL) 25%, Companhia Brasileira de Alumínio (CBA) 15%, Camargo Corrêa Cimentos 9%, and DME Energética 8.8%. On November 1, 2005, the first generator went into operation, the second in February 2006 and the third in May of the same year. In September 2005 after construction was complete and the reservoir began to fill, the concrete face on the upstream side of the dam cracked, causing a leak of 1280 liter/s. In June 2007, soil was dumped in the area which reduced the leak to 800 l/s. The dam still remains safe.
. At its base, it is 500 m (1,640.4 ft) wide and 14 m (45.9 ft) at its crest. The dam impounds a reservoir with a 94 square kilometre surface area which supplies water to three 236 MW Francis turbine
s in the power station.
, a Brazilian pine tree, of which only 1% to 7% of their original forest survives. Other species threatened by the reservoir were the endangered bromeliad Dyckia distachya
and Paraná
. The environmental controversy require BAESA to extend and acquire new licenses along with spending extra money on programs.
Dam
A dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are...
and hydroelectric power plant on the Pelotas River
Pelotas River
The Pelotas River is a river in southern Brazil, and a tributary of the Uruguay River.The river originates in the Serra Geral at Alto do Bispo and flows northeast for before meeting the Canoas River, forming the Uruguay River...
near Celso Ramos
Celso Ramos
Celso Ramos is a town and municipality in the state of Santa Catarina in the South region of Brazil.-References:...
on the border of Santa Catarina
Santa Catarina (state)
Santa Catarina is a state in southern Brazil with one of the highest standards of living in Latin America. Its capital is Florianópolis, which mostly lies on the Santa Catarina Island. Neighbouring states are Rio Grande do Sul to the south and Paraná to the north. It is bounded on the east by...
and Rio Grande do Sul
Rio Grande do Sul
Rio Grande do Sul is the southernmost state in Brazil, and the state with the fifth highest Human Development Index in the country. In this state is located the southernmost city in the country, Chuí, on the border with Uruguay. In the region of Bento Gonçalves and Caxias do Sul, the largest wine...
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
. The power station has a 708 MW capacity and is supplied with water by a concrete face rock-fill embankment dam
Embankment dam
An embankment dam is a massive artificial water barrier. It is typically created by the emplacement and compaction of a complex semi-plastic mound of various compositions of soil, sand, clay and/or rock. It has a semi-permanent waterproof natural covering for its surface, and a dense, waterproof...
, the second tallest dam in Brazil. It is owned and operated by Energética Barra Grande SA (BAESA) and produces a 30% equivalent of the demand in Santa Catarina.
Background
Construction on the dam began on May 2001 by the consortium BAESA whose stakeholders include AlcoaAlcoa
Alcoa Inc. is the world's third largest producer of aluminum, behind Rio Tinto Alcan and Rusal. From its operational headquarters in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Alcoa conducts operations in 31 countries...
42.2%, Companhia Paulista de Força e Luz (CPFL) 25%, Companhia Brasileira de Alumínio (CBA) 15%, Camargo Corrêa Cimentos 9%, and DME Energética 8.8%. On November 1, 2005, the first generator went into operation, the second in February 2006 and the third in May of the same year. In September 2005 after construction was complete and the reservoir began to fill, the concrete face on the upstream side of the dam cracked, causing a leak of 1280 liter/s. In June 2007, soil was dumped in the area which reduced the leak to 800 l/s. The dam still remains safe.
Specifications
The Barra Grande Dam is a 665 m (2,181.8 ft) long and 185 m (607 ft) high concrete face rock-fill embankment damEmbankment dam
An embankment dam is a massive artificial water barrier. It is typically created by the emplacement and compaction of a complex semi-plastic mound of various compositions of soil, sand, clay and/or rock. It has a semi-permanent waterproof natural covering for its surface, and a dense, waterproof...
. At its base, it is 500 m (1,640.4 ft) wide and 14 m (45.9 ft) at its crest. The dam impounds a reservoir with a 94 square kilometre surface area which supplies water to three 236 MW Francis turbine
Francis turbine
The Francis turbine is a type of water turbine that was developed by James B. Francis in Lowell, Massachusetts. It is an inward-flow reaction turbine that combines radial and axial flow concepts....
s in the power station.
Controversy
Construction of the dam required clearing 40 square kilometre of araucariaAraucaria
Araucaria is a genus of evergreen coniferous trees in the family Araucariaceae. There are 19 extant species in the genus, with a highly disjunct distribution in New Caledonia , Norfolk Island, eastern Australia, New Guinea, Argentina, Chile, and southern Brazil.-Description:Araucaria are mainly...
, a Brazilian pine tree, of which only 1% to 7% of their original forest survives. Other species threatened by the reservoir were the endangered bromeliad Dyckia distachya
Dyckia distachya
Dyckia distachya is a species of the genus Dyckia. This species is native to Brazil.-References:* retrieved 22 October 2009...
and Paraná
Araucaria angustifolia
Araucaria angustifolia, the Paraná pine or Brazilian pine , is a species in the conifer genus Araucaria. Covering an original area of 233000 km², it is native to southern Brazil Araucaria angustifolia, the Paraná pine or Brazilian pine , is a species in the conifer genus Araucaria. Covering an...
. The environmental controversy require BAESA to extend and acquire new licenses along with spending extra money on programs.
See also
- Machadinho Hydroelectric Power PlantMachadinho Hydroelectric Power PlantThe Machadinho Hydroelectric Power Plant is a dam and hydroelectric power plant on the Pelotas River near Machadinho on the border of Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The power station has a 1,140 MW capacity and is supplied with water by a concrete face rock-fill embankment dam...
- Itá Hydroelectric Power PlantItá Hydroelectric Power PlantThe Itá Hydroelectric Power Plant is a dam and hydroelectric power plant on the Uruguay River near Itá on the border of Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The power station has a 1,450 MW capacity and is supplied with water by a concrete face rock-fill embankment dam...
- List of power stations in Brazil