Marimbondo Plant


Credit: AC Júnior


The Marimbondo Plant was the fourth challenge in FURNAS’ history, coinciding with the Company maturing as an electrical energy utility. Located on the Grande River, between the cities of Icém (SP) and Fronteira (MG), the Marimbondo Plant has the second largest installed power among all FURNAS plants.

The 500 kV transmission lines that integrate the plant into the system were the first built in Brazil and to operate in Latin America, marking Brazilian companies’ complete dominance of the design, manufacture and construction areas in the electrical energy industry.

Construction began in 1971. The first unit began operating in October 1975. By January 1977, all eight units were connected to the system, each providing 180 MW.


Technical Data


Dam

  • Type: clay, homogeneous segment
  • Maximum height: 94 m
  • Development at the crown: 3,100 m
  • Width at crown: 10 m
  • Elevation at crown: 450.5 m
  • Total volume: 14,400,000 m³


Reservoir

  • Normal operating level: 446.3 m
  • Maximum flood level: 447.36 m
  • Level of expropriation: 447 / 448 / 449 m
  • Minimum operating level: 426 m
  • Flooded area: 438 km²
  • Total volume: 6.150 billion m³
  • Usable volume: 5.26 billion m³


Water Intake

  • Caterpillar gates
  • Quantity: 8
  • Water height on sill - 37.3 m
  • Width: 7.859 m
  • Height: 12.067 m
  • Manufacturers: Bardella (Brazil) and Sorefame (Portugal)


Spillway

  • Maximum Discharge: 21,400 m³/s
  • Segmented gates
  • Quantity: 9
  • Width: 15 m
  • Height: 18.85 m
  • Radius: 19 m
  • Manufacturer: ATB (Brazil and Italy)


Powerhouse

  • Type: sheltered
  • Size: 250.2 m x 25.3 m
  • Generator units: 8
  • Rotation: 100 RPM
  • Rated capacity: 180 MW


Turbines

  • Type: Francis vertical axis
  • Rotor diameter: 6.500 m
  • Manufacturers: Voith Consortium (Brazil and Germany), Neyrpic (France), Creusoti-Loire (France) and MEP (Brazil)


Generators

  • Frequency: 60 Hz
  • Terminal voltage: 13.8 kV
  • Manufacturer: ASEA (Brazil and Sweden)
  • Transformers: 26 (operation + back-up)
  • Type: single-phase
  • Total operating capacity: 1,519.92 MVA
  • Transformation ratio: 13.8/525 kV
  • Manufacturer: Tusa (Brazil)