Itaipu dam is the world’s largest, at least in terms of maximum annual power production (China’s Three Gorges Dam has greater installed turbine capacity but will produce less energy, even at peak capacity, because of variations in the flow of the Yangtze River). It straddles the border of Brazil and Paraguay, very close to the Argentine border and Iguacu falls. Itaipu provides one quarter of Brazil’s electricity and almost all of Paraguay’s.

Brazil is very proud of this Dam. If you tell them that you are a hydroelectric engineering student, they will take you on a personalized tour all throughout the dam, inside the turbine rooms, and even inside the 200 meter high concrete walls.