Bento Munhoz Hydroelectric Plant
Encyclopedia
The Governor Bento Munhoz da Rocha Netto Hydroelectric Plant, formerly known as Foz do Areia, is dam
and hydroelectric power plant on the Iguazu River
near Foz do Areia in Paraná
, Brazil. It is the furthest dam upstream of the Iguazu Falls
and was constructed between 1976 and 1980. The power station has a 1,676 MW capacity and is supplied with water by a concrete face rock-fill embankment dam
.
As their main power plant, it is owned and operated by Copel
who renamed it after Bento Munhoz da Rocha Netto, governor of Paraná between 1951 and 1955.
s. By August of that year, a design was chosen and in October 1976 after contracts were awarded, construction began. The river was diverted with two 12 m (39.4 ft) diameter and 600 m (1,968.5 ft) long diversion tunnels. To facilitate the river's diversion, two cofferdam
s were constructed, one upstream and one downstream of the site. The upstream cofferdam was 45 m (147.6 ft) high and allowed the diversion of up to 7700 m3/s of water. The dam began to impound the reservoir in 1980 and by October it was filled and complete.
At the time of completion, the dam was the tallest and largest concrete face rock-fill dam in the world. It was also the first of its type with a large reservoir. The techniques to construction the dam were instrumental and an advancement as 50000 cubic metre of fill was placed each month for two years in a row. The stability and integrity of such a large dam with a large reservoir helped bring confidence to its specific design.
is controlled by four 14.5 m (47.6 ft) wide and 19.5 m (64 ft) high tainter gate
s. It has a 11000 m3/s capacity and is 400 m (1,312.3 ft) long and 70.6 m (231.6 ft) wide. Water is brought towards the power station intake through a channel which is 450 m (1,476.4 ft) long and 90 m (295.3 ft) wide. The actual power intake structure is 70 m (229.7 ft) high, 108 m (354.3 ft) wide and allows for a maximum reservoir level depletion of 47 m (154.2 ft). Six wheel-type gates facilitate bring water into the power station. An additional gate exists for maintenance purposes.
s deliver water to the generators as their diameter reduces from 7.4 m (24.3 ft) to 7 m (23 ft). The power station contains four 419 MW generators for a total installed capacity of 1,476 MW. Space for an additional two generators exist and if installed would bring the plant's total installed capacity to 2,511 MW.
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 Iguazu River
Iguazu River
The Iguazu River is a river in Brazil and Argentina. It is an important tributary of the Paraná River. The Iguazu River is long, with a drainage basin of .-Course:...
near Foz do Areia in Paraná
Paraná (state)
Paraná is one of the states of Brazil, located in the South of the country, bordered on the north by São Paulo state, on the east by the Atlantic Ocean, on the south by Santa Catarina state and the Misiones Province of Argentina, and on the west by Mato Grosso do Sul and the republic of Paraguay,...
, Brazil. It is the furthest dam upstream of the Iguazu Falls
Iguazu Falls
Iguazu Falls, Iguassu Falls, or Iguaçu Falls are waterfalls of the Iguazu River located on the border of the Brazilian State of Paraná and the Argentine Province of Misiones. The falls divide the river into the upper and lower Iguazu. The Iguazu River originates near the city of Curitiba. It flows...
and was constructed between 1976 and 1980. The power station has a 1,676 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...
.
As their main power plant, it is owned and operated by Copel
Copel
Copel - Companhia Paranaense de Energia Public , the largest company of the State of Paraná, was founded on October 26, 1954 with ownership control held by the State of Paraná. The Company went public in April 1994 BM&F Bovespa and, in 1997, it was the first company of the Brazilian electricity...
who renamed it after Bento Munhoz da Rocha Netto, governor of Paraná between 1951 and 1955.
History
In May 1973, Copel was awarded the concession contract to construct the dam and by May 1974, various studies had recommended a site near the confluence of the Inguazu and Da Areia RiverDa Areia River (Iguazu River)
The Da Areia River is a river of Paraná state in southern Brazil.-References:*...
s. By August of that year, a design was chosen and in October 1976 after contracts were awarded, construction began. The river was diverted with two 12 m (39.4 ft) diameter and 600 m (1,968.5 ft) long diversion tunnels. To facilitate the river's diversion, two cofferdam
Cofferdam
A cofferdam is a temporary enclosure built within, or in pairs across, a body of water and constructed to allow the enclosed area to be pumped out, creating a dry work environment for the major work to proceed...
s were constructed, one upstream and one downstream of the site. The upstream cofferdam was 45 m (147.6 ft) high and allowed the diversion of up to 7700 m3/s of water. The dam began to impound the reservoir in 1980 and by October it was filled and complete.
At the time of completion, the dam was the tallest and largest concrete face rock-fill dam in the world. It was also the first of its type with a large reservoir. The techniques to construction the dam were instrumental and an advancement as 50000 cubic metre of fill was placed each month for two years in a row. The stability and integrity of such a large dam with a large reservoir helped bring confidence to its specific design.
The dam
The Bento Munhoz da Rocha Netto Dam is a 828 m (2,716.5 ft) long and 160 m (524.9 ft) high concrete face rock-fill type. The dam contains a total 14138000 cubic metre of material which includes 14000000 cubic metre of rock-fill and 138000 cubic metre of concrete. The dam's spillwaySpillway
A spillway is a structure used to provide the controlled release of flows from a dam or levee into a downstream area, typically being the river that was dammed. In the UK they may be known as overflow channels. Spillways release floods so that the water does not overtop and damage or even destroy...
is controlled by four 14.5 m (47.6 ft) wide and 19.5 m (64 ft) high tainter gate
Tainter gate
The Tainter gate is a type of radial arm floodgate used in dams and canal locks to control water flow. It is named for Wisconsin structural engineer Jeremiah Burnham Tainter....
s. It has a 11000 m3/s capacity and is 400 m (1,312.3 ft) long and 70.6 m (231.6 ft) wide. Water is brought towards the power station intake through a channel which is 450 m (1,476.4 ft) long and 90 m (295.3 ft) wide. The actual power intake structure is 70 m (229.7 ft) high, 108 m (354.3 ft) wide and allows for a maximum reservoir level depletion of 47 m (154.2 ft). Six wheel-type gates facilitate bring water into the power station. An additional gate exists for maintenance purposes.
Power station
From the intake, six 220 m (721.8 ft) long penstockPenstock
A penstock is a sluice or gate or intake structure that controls water flow, or an enclosed pipe that delivers water to hydraulic turbines and sewerage systems. It is a term that has been inherited from the technology of wooden watermills....
s deliver water to the generators as their diameter reduces from 7.4 m (24.3 ft) to 7 m (23 ft). The power station contains four 419 MW generators for a total installed capacity of 1,476 MW. Space for an additional two generators exist and if installed would bring the plant's total installed capacity to 2,511 MW.
See also
- Governor Ney Braga de Barros Hydroelectric Plant
- Salto Santiago Hydroelectric Power PlantSalto Santiago Hydroelectric Power PlantThe Salto Santiago Hydroelectric Power Plant is dam and hydroelectric power plant on the Iguazu River near Santiago in Paraná, Brazil. It is the third dam upstream of the Iguazu Falls and was completed in 1979...
- Salto Osório Hydroelectric Power PlantSalto Osório Hydroelectric Power PlantThe Salto Osório Hydroelectric Power Plant is a dam and hydroelectric power plant on the Iguazu River near Osório in Paraná, Brazil. It is the second dam upstream of the Iguazu Falls and was completed in 1979...
- Governor José Richa Hydroelectric Plant
- List of power stations in Brazil