Macagua Dam

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Macagua Dam
Ciudad guyana.jpg
Macagua Dam (bottom left) and locale
Macagua Dam is located in Venezuela
Macagua Dam
Location of Macagua Dam in Venezuela
Official name Hidroeléctrica Antonio José de Sucre
Country Venezuela
Location Ciudad Guayana in Bolívar State
Coordinates 08°18′14″N 62°40′05″W / 8.30389°N 62.66806°W / 8.30389; -62.66806Coordinates: 08°18′14″N 62°40′05″W / 8.30389°N 62.66806°W / 8.30389; -62.66806
Construction began 1956
Opening date 1961
Owner(s) CVG Electrificacion del Caroni CA
Dam and spillways
Type of dam Concrete gravity/embankment
Impounds Caroní River
Height 69 m (226 ft)
Length 3,537 m (11,604 ft)
Reservoir
Creates Macagua Reservoir
Total capacity 363,000,000 m3 (294,289 acre·ft)
Surface area 47.4 km2 (18.3 sq mi)
Power station
Commission date Macagua I: 1961
Macagua II/III:1996
Turbines 20
Macagua I: 1x 79.5 MW (106,600 hp) Francis turbine, 5 x 64 MW (86,000 hp) Francis turbines
Macagua II: 12 x 216 MW (290,000 hp) Francis turbines
Macagua III: 2 x 88 MW (118,000 hp) Kaplan turbines
Installed capacity 3,167.5 MW (4,247,700 hp)
Annual generation 15,200 GWh (55,000 TJ)

The Macagua Dam, officially known as Antonio José de Sucre, is an embankment dam with concrete gravity sections on the Caroní River in Ciudad Guayana, Bolívar State, Venezuela. It is 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) upstream from the confluence of the Caroni and Orinoco Rivers, 81 km (50 mi) downstream of the Guri Dam and 22 kilometres (14 mi) downstream of the Caruachi Dam. The dam's main purpose is hydroelectric power generation and it was later named after Antonio José de Sucre.

Dam[edit]

The Macagua Dam is a 69-metre (226 ft) tall and 3,537-metre (11,604 ft) long embankment dam with concrete gravity sections for each of the three different power stations.[1] The dam supplies water to three power stations with a generation capacity of 3,167.5 megawatts (4,247,700 hp).

Power plants[edit]

Macagua I[edit]

Macagua I 8°18′02″N 62°39′52″W / 8.30056°N 62.66444°W / 8.30056; -62.66444 was constructed from 1956 to 1961 and it contains 6 x 64 megawatts (86,000 hp) Francis turbine-generators for an installed capacity of 384 megawatts (515,000 hp). Currently, Macagua I is undergoing a refurbishment in order to increase the capacity of each generator from 64 MW to 79.5 megawatts (106,600 hp). The first generator was complete in 2010, the second is expected to be completed in 2011 and another each year thereafter.[2][3]

Macagua II[edit]

Macagua II 8°18′14″N 62°40′04″W / 8.30389°N 62.66778°W / 8.30389; -62.66778 contains 12 x 216 megawatts (290,000 hp) Francis turbine-generators for an installed capacity of 1,592 megawatts (2,135,000 hp). Macagua II began operation in 1996 and was inaugurated in January 1997.[4]

Macagua III[edit]

Macagua III 8°18′09″N 62°40′46″W / 8.30250°N 62.67944°W / 8.30250; -62.67944 contains 2 x 88 megawatts (118,000 hp) Kaplan turbine-generators for an installed capacity of 176 megawatts (236,000 hp). Macagua II began operation in 1996 and was inaugurated in January 1997.[4]

External links[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Dams - Macagua II" (in Spanish). Covenpre VENCOLD. Retrieved 13 January 2011. 
  2. ^ "Ongoing Projects - Rehabilitation of Hydroelectric Powerhouse Antonio José de Sucre in Macagua" (in Spanish). Electrification del Caroni CA. Retrieved 13 January 2011. 
  3. ^ "Refurbishment and rehabilitation of Macagua I moving forward". IMPSA. 2010-10-28. Retrieved 13 January 2011. 
  4. ^ a b "Hydroelectric Antonio José de Sucre in Macagua" (in Spanish). Electrification del Caroni CA. Retrieved 13 January 2011.