Paraguay withdraws over 50% of energy produced by Yacyretá dam for first time

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Paraguay’s state electricity company on Monday (21) withdrew over 50% of the energy generated by the Yacyretá dam it shares with Argentina, the first time this level has been reached in the hydroelectric power plant’s 26 years of production,

The Binational entity’s Paraguayan management reported that the operation was made possible by the commissioning of Paraguayan Line 2 (LP2), completed in 2019, and Paraguayan Line 1 (LP1), commissioned on September 10.

The National Electricity Administration (ANDE) withdrew 662 mw of power on Monday, while Argentina withdrew 658 mw, out of the 1,320 mw generated, the statement said.

Consequently, “the expected free availability of energy produced by Yacyretá has been reached,” as part of the government’s strategic plan to achieve energy sovereignty, the source added.

“Today this historic figure has been reached, enabling Paraguay to fully exercise its rights in Yacyretá,” said engineer Leopoldo Melo, head of the Technical Department on the Paraguayan side.

Likewise, the technology implemented enables synchronized interconnection with the Itaipú hydroelectric power plant, shared with Brazil. The two lines required an investment of US$20 million of Binational’s resources.

Paraguay had been traditionally consuming not more than 6.3% of the 50% of its share of the dam, commissioned in 1994, with the remainder being consumed by Argentina in accordance with the construction treaty signed in 1973.

YACYRETÁ DAM

The Yacyretá Dam or Jasyretâ-Apipé Hydroelectric Power Station is a dam and hydroelectric power plant built over the waterfalls of Jasyretâ-Apipé in the Paraná River, between the Paraguayan City of Ayolas and the Argentine Province of Corrientes. The dam is named for Yacyretá Island just upstream, much of which the dam submerged. The word “Yacyreta” is the Hispanicized spelling of the original Guaraní term Jasyretâ.

The dam is 808 meters (2,651 ft) long, and its installed equipment has a maximum power output of 3,100 megawatts (4,200,000 hp), with a record maximum annual power output of 20.091 TWh (72.33 PJ) achieved in the year 2012, and a maximum water flow rate of 55,000 cubic meters per second. Until February 2011, its reservoir was seven meters below its planned water level, only allowing it to operate at 60% capacity.

The project generated controversy and criticism during its planning and construction because of the effects it had on local ecology, particularly the flooding of a unique environment causing the extinction in the wild of several species. The financial management of the project also received criticism, as it greatly exceeded its original budget, ultimately costing more than US$11 billion.

The Yacyreta Dam is managed by the Yacyreta Bi-National Entity, established by a treaty between the two countries.