The Itaipu hydroelectric dam uses water from the Paraná River, which forms part of the border between Brazil and Paraguay. The dam spans the river near Foz do Iguaçu in Brazil and Ciudad del Este in Paraguay.
Itaipu was built as a binational project by the two countries. Its reservoir and powerhouse harness the river’s enormous flow to generate electricity, making the facility one of the largest hydroelectric plants ever constructed by total annual generation. Its output is shared between Brazil and Paraguay under agreements governing the project.
The Paraná is one of South America’s major rivers and is part of the larger Río de la Plata basin. It should not be confused with the Amazon, which is farther north and drains a different basin.
Itaipu’s generating units use water released through turbines rather than consuming the river’s water. After passing through the turbines, the water continues downstream, while the dam’s reservoir helps regulate the flow entering the powerhouse.