Biggest power plant on the Earth

ITAIPU- Largest power plant on the Earth- 12600

MW of Hydro power

Total view of the IT AIPU power plant

Left part shows overflow (spillway), the power station
is located in the middle.

At the bottom of the 196 m tall dam, the white tubes

are containing the inlets for the 18 turbines (715 MW
each).
 On top of the 7.6 km dam, a 12 800 000 m³ of
concrete was used for the project ITAIPU.

The lake created by ITAPU dam . Its area reaches 1

350 km2, its length 170 km and its average width 7
 km.

One 715 MW electrical generator

The diameter of the rotor is almost 16 m, the rotating mass

Inside the ITAIPU Powerhouse

Dimensions: length: 986 m, maximum height: 112 m and width: 99m.
The red line on the floor indicates the border of Brazil and Paraguay.
 One 715 MW electrical generator
The diameter of the rotor is almost 16 m, the rotating mass i s 2 650 t

The control center of the 18 generators

Left half of it (in Brazil) controls the 60 Hz units, right half (in Paraguay)
controls the 50 Hz units.
 A 18 kV to 525 kV transformator for 825 MVA
To increase the voltage To increase the voltage of the gen erators,
transformers with a capacity of 825 MVA and 768 MV(for 50 and 60 Hz
respectively) were specified.

Power switches for high voltages

Power switches at the "Left Bank Substation" (FURNAS).

The AC-DC rectifier

The FURNAS rectifier substation is accomplished by four lines of of 500
kV.
Output DC voltages a re symmetrical ± 500 000 Volt SC.
 Electricity (AC) leaving ITAPU to Sao Paulo
6 300 MW of electrical power generated by the 60 Hz units is transported
by an 891 km AC transmission system, formed by three lines of 750 kV.

"Peanuts"- a word often used from so called "economic experts" and

representatives when it comes to Renewable Energies.
"Not sufficient", "unreliable", "not feasible", are common bias.

ITAIPU shows they are wrong! Having more power than 10 nuclear
power stations it supplies the second largest city on the planet with zero-
emission electricity since 1984, still being extended until 1991. 26% of
the electri cal power consumption of Brazil and 78% of Paraguay are
supplied by ITAIPU.

Located at the Brazilian-Paraguaian border and not far from the

Argentinian border, the first step of the initiation was already in 1966
when the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Brazil and Paraguay signed a
joint statement known as the "Act of Ygazu". By this a study and
evaluation of the hydraulic resources of the Parana river (owned jointly
by Brazil and Paraguay) followed.

On April, 26, 1973, the two governments of the states signed a treaty
"for the development of the hydroelectric resources of the Parana River"
and founded "ITAIPU Binacional" (cooperation with the legal,
administrative and financial capacities and technical responsibility to
plan, set up and operate the plant) in May, 17, 1974.

The construction work started in 1975, reaching its peak in 1978 with 30
000 people at work. Monthly on-site concrete production reached 338
000 m³. In total, 15 times the mass of concrete used for the
"Eurotunnel" was supplied. The height of the dam reaches 196 m, its
length 7.76 km. The lake created by this is 170 km long and contains 29
billion tons of water.

Unit 1 started to operate in December 1983. Electrical grid connection to

Paraguay was established in March 1984, Brazil was connected 5 months
later. In March 1991 the last unit ( No.18) was put into operation.
 The water intake of one single 715 MW Francis-turbine is 700 m³/s, its
weighted efficiency is 93.8%.

Each year ITAPU generates 75 TWh of electricity and avoids 67.5 million
tons of carbon dioxide emissions - compared to coal power plants.
The final cost of ITAIPU amounts to US$ 20 billion, 50% of this value are
direct investments and balance financial charges.

If whole area of the lake - at nominal level - would be covered by solar

modules the power of the would be 135 000 MW p, which would produce
230 TWh a year. For the same yearly output as ITAIPU a solar PV-plant
would cost US$ 132 billion

Technical Data

Powerhouse and Main Dam

Location of the Equipment and Principal Elevations

Powerhouse (18 units including erection bays) - (m)

Length 968
Width 99
Height 112
Roof level 148
Generator hall floor level 108
Spacing between units 34

01 - El 40 - Foundation of the dam

02 - El 92,4 - Access to turbine pit
03 - El 98,5 - Unit auxiliary service - Pure water system
- Excitation system, access to generator housing and speed
04 - El 98,5
governo
05 - El 108 - Step-up transformers
06 - El 108 - Generator hall floor and local control rooms
07 - El 122 - Ventilation system
08 - El
- Cable gallery
127,6
09 - El
- GIS - SF6
128,2
10 - El - Principal panels of AC auxiliary service and diesel generator
133,2 hall
11 - El 144 - Dam auxiliary service
12 - El 214 - Gate hydraulic pump group

Rolling track of gantry crane

Rolling track (m)
Span 10,00
Total length 857,6
Rail-top elevation 225

Penstocks
Quantity 18
Weight each penstock (t) 883
Internal diameter (m) 10,5
Developed length (m) 142,2
Rated flow (m³ / s) 690

Water Intake Trashracks

Quantity 18
Rack panels per intake 24 (m) 4,7 x 5,5
Trashrack Cleaning Machine
Quantity 2
Jib crane capacity (kN) 200
Vertical lift of rake (m) 61,5
Rake capacity (m³ / kN) 2/2,5

Service Gates (Fixed wheel type)

Quantity 18
Span (m) 8,2
Total height (m) 19,3
Sill beam elevation (m) 177,6
Maximum flow through gate (m³/s) 750

Stop-logs
Sill beam elevation (m) 177,2
Span (m) 7,5
Height (m) 17,5
Quantity 7

Gantry cranes
Quantity 2
Capacity (kN) 1.100/400
Max. hoisting speed 50/60 Hz (m/min.) 4,6/5,5
Min. hoisting speed 50/60 Hz (m/min.) 1,7/2,0
Rated travel speed 50/60 Hz (m/min.) 25/30

Generator
Quantity 18
Frequency 60 Hz (9 un.) / 50 Hz (9 un.)
Rated power 50 / 60 Hz (MVA) 823,6 / 737,0
Rated voltage (kV) 18
Number of poles 50 / 60 Hz 66 / 78
Moment of inertia - GD2 (t.m²) 320.000
Power factor 50 / 60 Hz 0,85 / 0,95
Heaviest component - rotor (t) 1.760
Weight of each unit 50 / 60 Hz (t) 3.343 / 3.242

Turbine
Quantity 18
Type Francis
Rated power (MW) 715
Design speed - 50 / 60 Hz (rpm) 90,9 /92,3
Net design head (m) 118,4
Rated flow (m³/s) 645
Heaviest component - rotor (t) 296
Weight of each unit (t) 3.360
Bank of Single-Phase Transformers
50 Hz 9 + 2 Reserve Units
60 Hz 9 + 2 Reserve Units

Rated Power of Each Bank

50 / 60 Hz (MVA) 825/768

Impulse Level (Phase/Neutral)

High Voltage (kV) 1.550/110
Low Voltage (kV) 125
Type of connection - Y

Weight of each transformer (kg)

217 x 103 (50 Hz)
189 x 103 (60 Hz)
Cooling forced oil and water

SF6 Gas Insulated Substation

Maximum Rated Voltage (kV) 550
Rated Current (A) 4.000
Rated Break Current (kA) 63
Quantity of Circuit Breakers 52
Length of Enclosed Busbars Isolated by SF6 Gas (m) 7.500
SF6 Pressure in the Circuit Breakers (kPa) 620
Quantity of Isolation Switches 124
Quantity of Current Transformers 396
Quantity of Potential Transformers 24
Quantity of Surge Arresters 126
Mass of SF6 Gas (kg) 108 x 103
SCADA - Supervisory Control and Data
Acquisition
The SCADA System, is a means of supervision and control based on
computers. The general purpose of this System is to provide the Plant
Operators with detailed and automatic information in a centralized form -
at present being distributed over more that 1,500 panels in the diverse
galleries along the length of the power plant - and organized in real time
(that is, at the instant of occurrence) concerning the electrical,
mechanical, thermal and hydraulic conditions of the eq uipment and the
installations. This will permit the operators in the Central Control Room
to exercise a permanent analysis of the situation and facilitate taking the
correct and appropriate decisions within the time limits necessary to
maintain the generation of energy.
Its operation is based on the installation of electronic devices in the
diverse units of equipment in the Power Plant (generators, turbines,
transformers, etc.) for the automatic acquisition of operational
information. This information will be transferred to a central computer,
where it will be processed by specific software. When the software
identifies abnormal conditions, the Operators will be instantly informed
by signals on the computer monitors. The required corrective actions or
commands can be taken through these same computers.
The SCADA System is scheduled to be installed by the middle of 2002 and
will provide the Operators with supervision over approximately 18,000
points, significantly imp roving the operating conditions of the Plant and
permitting, in many cases, the prevention of disconnections, as well as
allowing greater speed of recovery from the operational problems that
may occur.
 Transmission system

Disclaimer: This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and
intended solely for the use of the addressee(s) named herein. If you are not
the intended recipient or addressee, you should not use, disseminate, distribute,
copy or alter this email. Any views or opinions presented in this email are
solely those of the author and might not represent those of "Zamil Group".

Warning: Although reasonable precautions have been taken to ensure no viruses

are present in this email, the group cannot accept responsibility for any lossor
damage arising from the use of this email or attachments. If you have received
this electronic mail message in error, please contact the sender directly.