REPRESA DE YACYRETÁ

Yacyretá means "place of the moon" or "place of rough waters" in Guarani. More modest than Itaipu, this hydroelectric dam is nevertheless a monumental work, with its 808 m long and 80 m wide. The power station consists of 20 turbines, each capable of producing 160 MW. Through each turbine pass 2,600 million litres of water per hour! The energy produced (20,000 GWh/year) is used by Argentina (90%) and Paraguay (10%). The locks (27 m wide, 238 m long) allow boats to pass from one level to another in 45 minutes. The fish also have their own lift: attracted by artificial currents, they enter an elevator that takes them up the river to the reservoir lake. Work began in 1983 and the first turbine began operating in 1994. The rise in water levels to form Lake Yacyretá has meant the displacement of thousands of people and the disappearance of habitats for wildlife. Nevertheless, the dam produces "clean" energy and provides well-paid work (including many fictitious jobs...). The water level has been raised in recent years to increase the production potential, reaching a height of 83 m above sea level. The bi-national entity of Yacyretá (EBY) is in charge of the visit, with transport to the dam, via the island of Yacyretá, after a presentation film. Arrive 30 minutes before the visit, to register and visit the museum (pre-Columbian ceramics and objects from different periods).