El Cajón Dam (Mexico)
Encyclopedia
The El Cajón Dam is a hydroelectric dam on the Río Grande de Santiago
in the Mexican state of Nayarit
. Construction began in 2003 and was completed in June 2007. It cost US$
800 million to build. It is 640 m (2,100 ft) long and is 187 m (614 ft) high. The reservoir holds approximately 5000000000 cubic metre of water, and the generators are capable of producing of electricity. The dam is operated by the Comisión Federal de Electricidad
, a state-owned Mexican electric company. Throughout the construction of the El Cajón Dam, the following is estimated:
Río Grande de Santiago
The Río Grande de Santiago is one of the longest rivers in Mexico, measuring up long. The river begins at Lake Chapala and continues roughly north-west through the Sierra Madre Occidental, receiving the Verde, Juchipila, Bolaños, and other tributaries...
in the Mexican state of Nayarit
Nayarit
Nayarit officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Nayarit is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 20 municipalities and its capital city is Tepic.It is located in Western Mexico...
. Construction began in 2003 and was completed in June 2007. It cost US$
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
800 million to build. It is 640 m (2,100 ft) long and is 187 m (614 ft) high. The reservoir holds approximately 5000000000 cubic metre of water, and the generators are capable of producing of electricity. The dam is operated by the Comisión Federal de Electricidad
Comisión Federal de Electricidad
The Comisión Federal de Electricidad is the Mexican state-owned electric widely known as CFE. It is the dominant electric company and the second most powerful state-owned company in Mexico after Pemex. The Mexican constitution states that the government is responsible for the control and...
, a state-owned Mexican electric company. Throughout the construction of the El Cajón Dam, the following is estimated:
- Rock fill with concrete face dam
- A cost exceeding 850 million dollars
- An economic benefit of 2 billion pesosMexican pesoThe peso is the currency of Mexico. Modern peso and dollar currencies have a common origin in the 15th–19th century Spanish dollar, most continuing to use its sign, "$". The Mexican peso is the 12th most traded currency in the world, the third most traded in the Americas, and by far the most...
(160 million dollars) - The creation of approximately 10,000 direct and indirect jobs
- The improvement of access roads that will benefit up to 20,000 inhabitants belonging to 40 communities
- An annual mean power generation of 1,228 GWh, approximately 1.5 times the annual consumption of NayaritNayaritNayarit officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Nayarit is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 20 municipalities and its capital city is Tepic.It is located in Western Mexico...
- An installed capacity of
- An approximate annual savings of two million barrels of fuel oilFuel oilFuel oil is a fraction obtained from petroleum distillation, either as a distillate or a residue. Broadly speaking, fuel oil is any liquid petroleum product that is burned in a furnace or boiler for the generation of heat or used in an engine for the generation of power, except oils having a flash...
- An increase in the firm power generation of the Aguamilpa Hydroelectric Station, due to the regulation of the Río Grande de SantiagoRío Grande de SantiagoThe Río Grande de Santiago is one of the longest rivers in Mexico, measuring up long. The river begins at Lake Chapala and continues roughly north-west through the Sierra Madre Occidental, receiving the Verde, Juchipila, Bolaños, and other tributaries...
and its effluents in the basin, as well as the diversification of the primary energy sources in the National Electric System.
See also
- Aguamilpa DamAguamilpa DamThe Aguamilpa Dam is an embankment dam on the Río Grande de Santiago in the Mexican state of Nayarit, northeast of Tepic. The primary purpose of the dam is hydroelectric power generation and it supplies a 960 MW power station with water...
— downstream, completed in 1993 - La Yesca DamLa Yesca DamLa Yesca Dam is an under construction embankment dam on the Santiago River northwest of Guadalajara on the border of Mexico's Nayarit and Jalisco states. Construction on the dam began in 2007 after Empresas ICA was awarded the main construction contract. Completion is expected towards the end of...
— being constructed upstream - List of power stations in Mexico