itaipu ·
Itaipu opens spillway after rains in Foz do Iguaçu
Marco Três newsroom · edited by Annie Grellmann
Controlled operation on Sunday to regulate reservoir level
Itaipu Binacional opened the plant's spillway on Sunday (July 12) at 5:56 a.m. to manage water volume in the reservoir and the Paraná River in Foz do Iguaçu. The measure was required due to precipitation in the catch‑basin and operational limits of the interconnected power systems.
Opening the left spillway chute released a flow of 1,450 cubic meters per second. According to the company, the operation was scheduled to close by late afternoon the same Sunday, once grid conditions allowed control to be restored solely through the plant’s power generation.
Itaipu reported that it kept electricity supply to the Brazilian and Paraguayan markets at normal levels. As a run‑of‑the‑river plant—a model that does not allow large water storage—the binational entity must make operational adjustments during periods of heavy rain in the region.
Data on Paraná River levels downstream of the dam can be consulted daily in the Hydrological Bulletin published by Itaipu.
Frequently asked questions
- What flow was released by the spillway?
- The left spillway chute was opened with a flow of 1,450 cubic meters per second.
- Why did Itaipu need to open the spillway?
- The increase in water volume caused by rains in the catch‑basin, combined with operational limits of the interconnected power systems, prevented control from being exercised solely by power generation.
- How can the Paraná River levels be monitored?
- The levels can be checked daily in the Hydrological Bulletin released by Itaipu.
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