| Furnas Dam | |
|---|---|
The Furnas Reservoir as seen from the ISS. The dam is located in the centre-top of the image. |
|
| Location | Minas Gerais, Brazil |
| Coordinates | |
| Construction began | 1957 |
| Opening date | 1963 |
| Dam and spillways | |
| Height | 127 m (417 ft) |
| Length | 550 m (1,804 ft) |
| Base width | 15 m (49 ft) |
| Impounds | Grande River |
| Reservoir | |
| Creates | Furnas Reservoir |
| Capacity | 22,590,000,000 m3 (7.98×1011 cu ft) |
| Surface area | 1,473 km2 (569 sq mi) |
| Power station | |
| Turbines | 8 × 152 MW |
| Installed capacity | 1,216 MW |
The Furnas Dam is a hydroelectric dam in the Minas Gerais state of Brazil. A small settlement was built near the dam with the same name, to house the workers during the dam construction. The main purpose of the dam and reservoir are the production of electricity and the regulation of the flow of the Grande River.
Construction on the dam began in 1957 and was the first large dam in Brazil. It was built by Wimpey Construction and was completed in 1963. It is built on the canyon of the Grande River, before joining the Sapucaí River downstream. The dam is 127 m (417 ft) tall, 550 m (1,804 ft) long, and 15 m (49 ft) wide at its crest.
The large reservoir, with a surface area of 1,473 km2 (569 sq mi), almost half of the Brazilian coastline, started to form in 1963, bordering thirty-four municipalities. The volume of water is seven times that of Guanabara Bay, at 22,590,000,000 m3 (7.98×1011 cu ft). Normal water level averages at 768 m (2,520 ft).