itaipu ·
Itaipu opens spillway for 3rd time in 2026
Marco Três newsroom · edited by Annie GrellmannPortuguêsEspañol
Operation controls reservoir level after heavy rainfall; Cataratas walkway remains closed
The Itaipu Power Plant, located in Foz do Iguaçu, Paraná, Brazil, activated the spillway in the early morning of Sunday (13) to regulate the volume of water in the reservoir following precipitation in the basin. The walkway near Cataratas Falls remains closed for safety.
The opening occurred at 1:50 a.m., marking the third time the plant has resorted to this procedure in 2026. Previous operations took place between June 28 and July 5, and on July 12.
The left channel of the spillway started with a release of 1,700 m³ per second. Shortly after, at 2:43 a.m., the volume increased to 3,100 m³ per second. According to Itaipu Binacional, the flow should reach 3,800 m³ per second during the afternoon and be reduced at the end of the day, continuing until hydrological conditions allow closure.
The Iguazu River presented flow above 8.5 million liters per second on Sunday, according to monitoring by the Paraná Energy Company (Copel). The normal flow of Cataratas Falls is approximately 1.5 million liters per second. The walkway was closed preventively on Friday (11) due to high flow.
The spillway opening responds to the volume of water reaching the plant and the operational conditions of energy generation and consumption. Since Itaipu operates on a "run-of-river" model with limited storage capacity, when the incoming volume exceeds what can be turbined or stored, part is released through the spillway. Itaipu emphasizes that this is a technical and routine procedure.
Copel reported that it opened the gates of the plants it operates on the Iguazu River (Foz do Areia, Segredo, and Salto Caxias), which maintains the flow of Cataratas Falls at elevated levels even after rainfall ends. The National Electric System Operator (ONS) coordinates the operational decisions of the plants.
The reopening of the walkway will depend on the reduction of water volume and safety conditions at the site.
Frequently asked questions
- Why does Itaipu open the spillway?
- When the water volume arriving at the plant exceeds its turbine and storage capacity, part is released through the spillway. Because Itaipu operates on a "run-of-the-river" model with limited storage, this procedure is needed to control the reservoir level.
- What is the normal flow of the Cataratas?
- The normal flow is about 1.5 million liters per second. On Sunday (13) it was above 8.5 million liters per second.
- When will the Cataratas walkway reopen?
- Reopening will depend on the reduction of water volume and safety conditions at the site.
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