Itumbiara Plant



Credit: AC Júnior


This is the largest plant in the FURNAS System, with six units located on the Paranaíba River, between the cities of Itumbiara (GO) and Araporã (MG), with installed capacity of 2,082 MW. In operation since 1981, its construction produced a series of technological achievements.

Construction began in November 1974 and the first generator unit began operating in April 1980. Despite adverse weather conditions and the one-of-a-kind generator units, considered the largest in the world while under construction in the early 1980s, the Itumbiara Plant was designed and built within the original deadlines. Brazilian companies were responsible for 97% of the work, reaching unprecedented rates of nationalization in this type of project. 90% of the main equipment was also supplied by Brazilian companies.

In 97, the Itumbiara Plant started to remotely control the Corumbá Plant, enabling unattended operations, a first for FURNAS. The two plants are connected by a state-of-the-art digital electronic and “OPGW” fiber-optic system.


Technical Data


Dam

  • Type: gravity
  • Maximum height: 106 m
  • Concrete volume: 1.8 billion m³
  • Clay volume: 31.5 billion m³


Reservoir

  • Normal operating level: 520 m
  • Maximum flood level: 521.20 m
  • Level of expropriation: 522.2 m
  • Minimum operating level: 495 m
  • Flooded area: 798 km²
  • Total volume: 17,000 hm³
  • Usable volume: 12,454 hm³


Water Intake

  • Sliding gates
  • Quantity: 6
  • Width: 8.83 m
  • Height: 12.31 m
  • Manufacturers: Krupp (Brazil) - Krupp (Germany)


Spillway

  • Maximum Discharge: 16,000 m³/s
  • Sector-type composites
  • Quantity: 6
  • Width: 15 m
  • Height: 9 m
  • Manufacturers: Badoni-ATB (Brazil) e ATB (Italy)


Powerhouse

  • Type: sheltered
  • Size: 223 m x 25 m
  • Generator units: 6
  • Rated capacity per unit: 347 MW


Turbines

  • Type: Francis vertical axis
  • Rotor diameter: 7.06 m
  • Manufacturers: J. M. Voith (Germany), Bardella, BSI and Voith (Brazil)


Generators

  • Frequency: 60 Hz
  • Terminal voltage: 13.8 kV
  • Manufacturers: Gebsa (Brazil) and CGE (Canada)
  • Transformers: 19 (operation + back-up)
  • Total operating capacity: 2,399.94 MVA
  • Transformation ratio: 13.8 / 525 kV
  • Manufacturer: Tusa (Brazil)