Itype, which straddles the border between Brazil and Paraguay, started power generation in 1984. The planned technology upgrades on this site will take 14 years.
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GE Renewable Energy has signed a contract to upgrade the 14GW Itaipu hydropower plant, a vast facility that straddles the border between Brazil and Paraguay.
In a statement earlier this week, GE Renewable Energy said the Hydro and Grid Solutions businesses have signed a contract related to construction that will last for 14 years. Paraguayan companies CIE and Tecnoedil will support the project.
In particular, GE said the upgrade would include “improvements in the equipment and systems of all 20 generation units, as well as measurement, protection, control, regulation and monitoring systems for hydropower plants.”
In 2018, GE said a consortium founded by GE Power and CIESociedad Anonima was selected to “provide electrical equipment in the early stages” of the dam modernization project.
Itaipu started power generation in 1984. According to the Itaipu Binacional website, the facility “provides 10.8% of the energy consumed in Brazil and 88.5% of the energy consumed in Paraguay.”
In terms of capacity, it is the second largest hydroelectric power plant in the world after China’s 22.5GW Changjiang Three Gorges.
According to the International Energy Agency, hydropower will reach 4,418 terawatt hours in 2020, setting itself as “the largest source of renewable energy that produces more than all other renewable technologies combined.” I kept it.
The IEA states that nearly 40% of the Earth’s hydropower plants are at least 40 years old. “If a hydropower plant is 45-60 years old, it needs a major modernization refurbishment to improve its performance and increase its flexibility,” he says. At 38, Itaipu appears to be at the tip of this threshold.
There are backers for hydropower, but there are also concerns about the environmental footprint of this sector.
The US Energy Information Administration states that hydroelectric generators may not “emit air pollutants directly”, but dams, reservoirs, and other factors related to generators may have an impact.
“Dams that create reservoirs (or dams that divert water to hydroelectric power plants in the flow of rivers) can impede the movement of fish,” he added. Dams and reservoirs “can also change natural water temperature, hydrochemistry, and rivers.” There are flow characteristics, and silt loads. “
In addition, the EIA states that reservoirs could cover areas including archaeological sites and land used for agriculture. “The operation of reservoirs and dams can also lead to the relocation of people,” he says.
Towards the end of April GE The renewable energy segment reported a loss of $ 434 million in the first quarter of 2022, compared to a loss of $ 234 million in the first quarter of 2021. Renewable energy revenues fell from $ 3.24 billion in the first quarter of 2021 to $ 2.87 billion. ..
