The Petit-Saut Dam is a gravity dam on the Sinnamary River about south of

Sinnamary Sinnamary is a town and commune on the coast of French Guiana, between Kourou and Iracoubo. Sinnamary was the second France, French settlement founded in French Guiana: the town was founded in 1664. Sinnamary lies on the Sinnamary River and is ...

French Guiana French Guiana ( or ; french: link=no, Guyane ; gcr, label=French Guianese Creole, Lagwiyann ) is an overseas department/region and single territorial collectivity of France on the northern Atlantic coast of South America in the Guianas. ...

. The primary purpose of the dam is to produce hydroelectric power and it supports a 116 MW power station. Construction on the dam and power station began in July 1989 and placement of concrete for the dam started in July 1992. The dam was complete in February 1993 and the first generator was operational in January 1994. The last went online in 1995. It is owned by Électricité de France. Construction of the dam and impounding of its large reservoir led to several environmental issues that continue to be monitored and addressed. These issues include

deforestation Deforestation or forest clearance is the removal of a forest or stand of trees from land that is then converted to non-forest use. Deforestation can involve conversion of forest land to farms, ranches, or urban use. The most concentrated ...

greenhouse gases A greenhouse gas (GHG or GhG) is a gas that absorbs and emits radiant energy within the thermal infrared range, causing the greenhouse effect. The primary greenhouse gases in Earth's atmosphere are water vapor (), carbon dioxide (), methane ...

and water deoxidation.

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{{Authority control Gravity dams Hydroelectric power stations in France Dams completed in 1993 Energy infrastructure completed in 1994 Dams in French Guiana Roller-compacted concrete dams 1993 establishments in French Guiana Buildings and structures in Sinnamary