The Furnas Dam ( pt, Usina Hidrelétrica de Furnas) is a
hydroelectric 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 ...
in the
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 ...
state of
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 ...
. 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. Near the beginning of 2022, mass amounts of rain caused a large rock to fall and kill 10 people.
Construction
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 tall, long, and wide at its crest.
The large reservoir, with a surface area of , started to form in 1963, bordering thirty-four
municipalities
A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate.
The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...
. The volume of water is seven times that of
Guanabara Bay
Guanabara Bay ( pt, Baía de Guanabara, ) is an oceanic bay located in Southeast Brazil in the state of Rio de Janeiro. On its western shore lie the cities of Rio de Janeiro and Duque de Caxias, and on its eastern shore the cities of Niterói a ...
, at . Normal water level averages at .
See also
*
List of power stations in Brazil
The following page lists the power stations in Brazil.
Coal
Gas and oil fired
Gas Turbines
Internal combustion engines
Nuclear
Hydroelectric
Solar
Wind
See also
*Electricity sector in Brazil
* Energy policy o ...
*
Capitólio rockfall
On 8 January 2022, a rockfall occurred in a canyon of Furnas Lake in Capitólio, Minas Gerais, Brazil. A cliff face collapsed onto tourist pleasure boats on the lake, killing 10 people and leaving 32 others injured.
Background
Furnas Lake, a ...
References
External links
All about FurnasHistory of Furnas
{{Rio Grande (Brazil) dams , dam=Furnas Dam, downriver=
Peixotos Dam, upriver=
Funil Dam
Dams completed in 1963
Dams in Minas Gerais
Dams on the Rio Grande (Paraná River tributary)
Energy infrastructure completed in 1963
Hydroelectric power stations in Brazil