Yacyreta Dam. It is a set of civil works carried out between Argentina and Paraguay , on the course of the Paraná River, whose main purpose is the transformation of hydroelectric energy into electrical energy. One of the biggest tourist attractions offered by the Province. Proud of its people, all tourists who come to Corrientes can enjoy this majestic pharaonic work.
Summary
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- 1 Location
- 2 History
- 1 Construction
- 2Estructura
- 3 Description
- 4 Tourist service
- 5 Economic and social development
- 6Fuente
Location
It is located in the Apipe Falls, on the Paraná River , about 20 kilometers from the city of Ituzaingó, and close to the Paraguayan city of Ayolas.
This location was chosen to take advantage of the power of the river falls and the ability to contain the waters through a dam, located on three large islands: the Paraguayan Yacyretá and the Argentine Talavera and Apipé.
History
Starting in 1972 , well before the signing of the Yacyretá Treaty, a series of negotiations began on the layout of the dam.
The project was born when Foreign Minister Alberto Juan Vignes communicated on September 12, 1973, that Argentina accepted as the site of the future dam called Trace 2 at that time.
The next step to this communication converges to the act of signing the Yacyretá Binational Treaty, which is signed in the Independence Hall of the López Palace, seat of the Paraguayan government. It is signed by Alfredo Stroessner, and on behalf of the Argentine Republic, General Juan Domingo Perón.
Once the treaty is signed, the first advances begin, but a crisis continues. After a while, the works on the dam begin and, most importantly, the relocation works begin.
Building
For the construction of the complex it was necessary to close the river, dam it with a dam and thus raise the water level. The height gained allows the water to be discharged with great force through the turbines, which generate energy when they move.
With 67 km of dam, a reservoir of 1,600 km 2 is formed . This artificial lake changes the landscape of the area, and the Talavera Islands and 80% of Yacyretá Island remain under its waters.
In order to carry out this complex, two bridges had to be built to connect the Paraguayan and Argentine coasts with Yacyretá Island. One, on the Aña Cuá branch of the river, is part of the future international crossing, and the other on the main branch, called the service bridge, which was demolished at the end of the work.
More than 8,000 Paraguayan and Argentine workers made this project a reality. Powerful trucks were used to transport different materials, being able to load up to 55 tons and their wheels measure more than 2 meters. They were important for the transport of the almost 66 million cubic meters of materials that make up the different dams.
In the places where the Hydroelectric Power Plant and the Lock are located today, it was necessary to excavate up to the basaltic formations. Many of the materials that today make up the different Yacyretá dams were obtained in quarries and nearby areas.
The lock allows to save a maximum drop of 24m.
Structure
Its structure allows the passage of boats of up to 12 feet. With its 3,200 megawatts of installed power, the Yacyretá turbines working at full capacity will cover 40% of the energy demand of the Argentine interconnected system.
Description
It has 20 turbines, with an installed power of 4,050 MW. and with an energy capacity of 19,080 GW/h, this is 40% of the energy consumed in Argentina. Located on the waters of the Paraná, it began to generate energy in September 1994 , with the commissioning of its first turbine. It is made up of an extensive water reservoir, artificially created by the construction of several dams of loose material (sand, clay and rock), with a crest length of approximately 67 km called: (from south to north):
- Left Lateral Dam
- Left Main Dam
- Closing Dam of the Main Arm
- Yacyretá Island Dam
- Closing Dam of the Aña-Cuá Arm
- Right Lateral Dam.
It contains two spillways, a hydroelectric power station, a shipping channel with two locks, and two fish lifts on both sides of the hydroelectric power station. The reservoir completely covered Talavera Island and 90% of Yacyretá Island.
tourist service
It is visited annually by more than 30,000 tourists attracted by the majesty of this work. Visits by land are in charge of the Yacyretá Binational Entity.
On the other hand, visits by water to the Yacyretá Hydroelectric Power Plant can be made in sports boats, hiring excursion service providers, who offer different alternatives in terms of their route, duration and characteristics of the same.
One of these alternatives is to include the island area in the tour, since the Paraná River presents in this section, a delta where its exuberant vegetation and its native fauna make up an excellent natural setting.
economic and social development
The area has become a dynamic pole of economic and social development for the provinces of Corrientes and Misiones and the Republic of Paraguay.
Environmental Conservation Measures in place. In order to preserve the fish fauna of Corrientes, a fish elevator was built that overcomes a drop of 23 meters.
It is also possible to know, environmental conservation areas with natural reserves of jungles in galleries.
Another important aspect is the intakes for irrigation of crops, such as rice fields, favoring some 14,000 hectares in Paraguay and 6,650 hectares in Argentina.