Paulo Afonso Hydroelectric Complex
| Paulo Afonso Hydroelectric Complex | |
|---|---|
A view of Paulo Afonso I, II and III | |
| Country | Brazil |
| Location | Paulo Afonso |
| Coordinates | 9°23′49″S 38°12′08″W / 9.39694°S 38.20222°W |
| Status | Operational |
| Commission date | 1954–1979 |
| Owner | CHESF |
| Thermal power station | |
| Turbine technology | Hydroelectric |
| Power generation | |
| Units operational | 23 |
| Nameplate capacity | 4,279.6 MW (5,739,000 hp) |
| External links | |
| Commons | Related media on Commons |
The Paulo Afonso Hydroelectric Complex (Complexo Hidrelétrico de Paulo Afonso), also known as the Paulo Afonso Complex, is a system of three dams and five hydroelectric power plants on the São Francisco River near the city of Paulo Afonso in Bahia, Brazil. The complex exploits an 80-metre (260 ft) natural gap on the river, known as the Paulo Afonso Falls. Constructed in succession between 1948 and 1979, the dams support the Paulo Afonso I, II, III, IV and Apollonius Sales (Moxotó) power plants which contain a total of 23 generators with an installed capacity of 4,279.6 megawatts (5,739,000 hp).
PA I was the first large power plant constructed in Brazil and the complex constitutes the densest area of dams in Brazil. The complex provides electricity to areas in northeastern Brazil and is the main tourist attraction in the region.