The Balbina Dam is a hydroelectric dam

Dam

A dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are...

 and power station on the Uatumã River

Uatumã River

The Uatumã River is a river flowing through the state of Amazonas in the Manaus area of Brazil.A tributary of the Amazon River, it is known for its extensive peacock population. ....

 in the Amazon Rainforest

Amazon Rainforest

The Amazon Rainforest , also known in English as Amazonia or the Amazon Jungle, is a moist broadleaf forest that covers most of the Amazon Basin of South America...

, Brazil

Brazil

Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...

. The location is under the municipality of Presidente Figueiredo

Presidente Figueiredo

Presidente Figueiredo is a municipality located in the Brazilian state of Amazonas. Its population was 23,636 and its area is 25,422 km²....

 jurisdiction, in the state of Amazonas.

It was built from 1985 to 1989 and is managed by Manaus Energia

Manaus Energia

Manaus Energia is a Brazilian energy company operating in the Manaus area of Amazonas state. The company has its headquarters in Manaus.The company aims to produce energy economically and renewably and is responsible for managing hydroelectric dam operations in the area such as the Balbina dam...

, under the Eletronorte

Eletronorte

Eletronorte is a subsidiary of the Brazilian power utility Eletrobrás. It is responsible for the power generation, transmission and distribution in the states of Amazonas, Pará, Acre, Rondônia, Roraima, Amapá, Tocantins and Mato Grosso....

 system. The first of five generators began operating in February 1989. The dam has an installed capacity of and floods a 2360 square kilometre area.

The dam was established to provide a renewable electricity supply to the city of Manaus

Manaus

Manaus is a city in Brazil, the capital of the state of Amazonas. It is situated at the confluence of the Negro and Solimões rivers. It is the most populous city of Amazonas, according to the statistics of Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics, and is a popular ecotourist destination....

but was considered by locals a controversial project from the start, due to the loss of forest and displacement of tribal homes grounds. It was also criticized for its expensive construction and maintenance costs.