The Marmelos Zero Power Plant is a decommissioned

hydroelectric Hydroelectricity, or hydroelectric power, is electricity generated from hydropower (water power). Hydropower supplies one sixth of the world's electricity, almost 4500 TWh in 2020, which is more than all other renewable sources combined and ...

power plant A power station, also referred to as a power plant and sometimes generating station or generating plant, is an industrial facility for the generation of electric power. Power stations are generally connected to an electrical grid. Many pow ...

on the Paraibuna River in

Juiz de Fora Juiz de Fora (, '' Outsider Judge''), also known as J.F., is a city in the southeastern Brazilian state of Minas Gerais, approximately from the state border with Rio de Janeiro. According to 2020 estimates the current population is about 57 ...

Minas Gerais Minas Gerais () is a state in Southeastern Brazil. It ranks as the second most populous, the third by gross domestic product (GDP), and the fourth largest by area in the country. The state's capital and largest city, Belo Horizonte (literally ...

Brazil Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...

. Inaugurated in 1889, plant was the first major hydroelectric power plant constructed in South America, specifically for public use. It was purchased by

CEMIG CEMIG is a Brazilian power company headquartered in Belo Horizonte capital of the state of Minas Gerais. The company is one of main electricity concessionaires in Brazil, headquartered in the city of Belo Horizonte, capital of the state of Minas G ...

in 1980 and now serves as a museum. The Marmelos IA and II downstream are still in operation and are serviced by the original dam.

History

Bernardo Mascarenhas (1846-1899) became a resident of Juiz de Fora and as an adult became interested in providing electricity for the city. In 1886, Mascarenhas and banker Francisco Batista de Oliveira received approval from the city to use the Marmelos Falls for electric production and they subsequently incorporated the Minas Electricity Company. In February 1889, construction on the power plant began and by August, it began to produce initial electricity. The plant was inaugurated on September 5, 1889. The power plant was supported by a long and high

dam A dam is a barrier that stops or restricts the flow of surface water or underground streams. Reservoirs created by dams not only suppress floods but also provide water for activities such as irrigation, human consumption, industrial use, a ...

which diverts water into a canal on the river's southern bank that supplies the power station downstream. At first, the power plant utilized two generators which operated single-phase

alternator An alternator is an electrical generator that converts mechanical energy to electrical energy in the form of alternating current. For reasons of cost and simplicity, most alternators use a rotating magnetic field with a stationary armature.Go ...

s at a frequency of 60 hertz. In the next year, the plant powered 180 light-bulbs. In the following years, a third generator was added to the plant and it powered over 700 light-bulbs and contributed to industrial and public use in the city. By 1896, the power plant was decommissioned as new and improved plants such as the Marmelos I, IA and II were built that could better utilize the Marmelos Falls. Marmelos I is also decommissioned while IA and II continue operations with a capacity of . In 1980,

purchased the power plant and renovated it. It became licensed as a museum in 1983 and as of 2000 it is maintained by

Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora The Federal University of Juiz de Fora ( pt, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, UFJF) is a public research university in Brazil. Throughout its over 50 years of existence, the university has undergone significant growth, strengthening the qual ...

under an agreement with CEMIG.

References

External links

{{stack, {{Portal, Brazil, Water, Renewable energy
Marmelos Zero Museum
Energy infrastructure completed in 1889 Former hydroelectric power stations Museums in Minas Gerais Dams in Minas Gerais Hydroelectric power stations in Brazil Technology museums Science museums in Brazil