Peixotos Dam

Peixotos Dam
Location of Peixotos Dam
Location	Minas Gerais, Brazil
Coordinates	20°17′05″S 47°03′49″W / 20.28472°S 47.06361°W / -20.28472; -47.06361Coordinates: 20°17′05″S 47°03′49″W / 20.28472°S 47.06361°W / -20.28472; -47.06361[1]
Construction began	1950
Opening date	1968
Owner(s)	Eletrobras Furnas
Dam and spillways
Impounds	Grande River
Length	600 m (1,969 ft)[2]
Height	50.6 m (166 ft)[2]
Spillway type	Gated overflow
Spillway capacity	12,450 m3/s (439,668 cu ft/s)[2]
Reservoir
Creates	Represa dos Peixotos
Total capacity	4.04 km3 (3,275,281 acre·ft)[2]
Active capacity	2.50 km3 (2,026,783 acre·ft)[2]
Surface area	250 km2 (61,776 acres)[2]
Power station
Turbines	2x 40 MW 2x 48 MW 4x 49 MW 2x 52 MW Francis-type[2]
Installed capacity	476 MW[2]

Peixotos Dam, also known as Mascarenhas de Moraes Hydroelectric Plant, is a hydroelectric dam on the Grande River in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, about 20 km (12 mi) west of Delfinópolis.

Studies for a dam at the Peixotos site were first carried out in 1947 by the Companhia Paulista de Força e Luz, which obtained rights to develop the site in 1950. The dam was built between 1952 and 1957 with help from the United States and the dam dedicated on April 30, 1957 by Brazilian President Juscelino Kubitschek.^[3] The first two Francis turbine-generators came online in 1957, and eight more were installed by 1968, bringing the plant to its full capacity of 476 MW. Since 1973, the dam and hydroelectric power plant have been operated by Eletrobras Furnas. Peixotos was the first of a cascade of nine dams to be built on the Grande River.^[2]

The dam consists of a central concrete arch section flanked by gravity wings, totaling 50.6 m (166 ft) high and 600 m (2,000 ft) long, impounding the 145 km (90 mi) long Represa de Peixotos (Peixotos Reservoir), with a storage capacity of 4.04 km³ (3,280,000 acre·ft) and a useful capacity of 2.50 km³ (2,030,000 acre·ft). The 210 m × 25 m (689 ft × 82 ft) power station is located on the south side of the dam and consists of ten vertical Francis turbines.^[2]

Water is released from the dam through the power plant and two spillways. The service spillway, located on the north side of the dam, is an overflow structure with 11 gates, providing a maximum capacity of 9,350 m³/s (330,000 cu ft/s). The auxiliary spillway is located to the south and consists of a concrete chute controlled by two gates, with a capacity of 3,100 m³/s (110,000 cu ft/s).^[2]

See also

• Luiz Barreto Dam (downstream)
• Furnas Dam (upstream)

References