Macagua Dam

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.

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
Construction began	1956
Opening date	1961
Owner(s)	CVG Electrificación del Caroní, C.A.
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)

Dam

Macagua Dam (bottom left).

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

Macagua I

Macagua I 8°18′02″N 62°39′52″W 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

Macagua II 8°18′14″N 62°40′04″W 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

Macagua III 8°18′09″N 62°40′46″W 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

• Venezuela portal
• Water portal
• Renewable energy portal

References

1. "Dams - Macagua II" (in Spanish). Covenpre VENCOLD. Archived from the original on 25 April 2011. Retrieved 13 January 2011.
2. "Ongoing Projects - Rehabilitation of Hydroelectric Powerhouse Antonio José de Sucre in Macagua" (in Spanish). Electrification del Caroni CA. Archived from the original on 27 July 2011. Retrieved 13 January 2011.
3. "Refurbishment and rehabilitation of Macagua I moving forward". IMPSA. 2010-10-28. Archived from the original on 13 July 2011. Retrieved 13 January 2011.
4. "Hydroelectric Antonio José de Sucre in Macagua" (in Spanish). Electrification del Caroni CA. Archived from the original on 27 July 2011. Retrieved 13 January 2011.