Santo Antônio Dam
Encyclopedia
The Santo Antônio Dam is an under construction hydroelectric dam on the Madeira River
6 km (4 mi) southwest of Porto Velho
in the state of Rondônia
, Brazil
.
The dam is part of a planned four power plant Madeira river hydroelectric complex, which will consist of two dams in Brazil (3150 MW Santo Antonio at the city of Porto Velho and 3300 MW Jirau Dam
about 100km upstream), a third on the border of Brazil and Bolivia (Guayaramerin), and a forth station inside Bolivia (Cachuela Esperanza). Two of these, Santo Antonio and Jirau, are currently under construction, while the smaller upstream dams are still in the planning stages. In part due to the 2001-2002 power shortage in Brazil, construction of both dams was accelerated in 2009, and now Santo Antonio is scheduled to begin commercial operation in December 2011, and Jirau will go on-stream one year later in 2012. The total estimated cost of the two facilities currently under construction is $15.6 billion ($7 billion for Santo Antônio), including about $10 billion for the civil engineering and power plants, and $5 billion for ship locks, transmission lines, and environmental re-mediation. The Madeira river hydroelectric complex is part of the Initiative for the Integration of Regional Infrastructure in South America (IIRSA), an effort by South American governments to integrate the continent's infrastructure with new investments in transportation, energy, and communication.
for a total of 44, each at 71.6 MW, for a total installed capacity of 3,150.4 MW. Bulb turbines are similar to a Kaplan turbine
, except that Bulb turbines are installed horizontally so that power can be recovered from both the hydrostatic head and from the kinetic energy of the incoming water. The power plant will have a maximum discharge of 24684 m3/s. The dam will have two spillway
s; one on the main section and an auxiliary on the southern abutment. Both spillways will have a combined maximum discharge of 84000 m3/s to control reservoir levels. The dam will also support two fish ladder
s and a shipping lock.
predicts that there may be un-contacted indigenous populations in the region that will be affected by the Madeira complex. Most of the affected populations are nearest to the Jirau dam.
in 1884. Many Bolivians feel a deep and lasting bitterness due to this loss, and the Bolivian military continues to build and maintain an open ocean navy in Lake Titicaca
, awaiting an eventual recovery of access to the sea. The Madeira river complex presents an opportunity for Bolivia because all of the hydroelectric dams would feature ship locks
capable of raising and lowering ocean going vessels. If the project is completed, "more than 4,000 km of waterways upstream from the dams in Brazil, Bolivia, and Peru would become navigable."
Hence, if the project is completed, both Bolivian commercial vessels and the Bolivian navy would have access to the open ocean, and lucrative sea lanes, for the first time in 120 years.
Madeira River
The Madeira River is a major waterway in South America, approximately 3,250 km miles long The Madeira is the biggest tributary of the Amazon...
6 km (4 mi) southwest of Porto Velho
Porto Velho
Porto Velho is the capital of the Brazilian state of Rondônia, in the upper Amazon River basin. The population is estimated to be 426,558 people...
in the state of Rondônia
Rondônia
Rondônia is a state in Brazil, located in the north-western part of the country. To the west is a short border with the state of Acre, to the north is the state of Amazonas, in the east is Mato Grosso, and in the south is Bolivia. Its capital is Porto Velho. The state was named after Candido Rondon...
, 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 dam is part of a planned four power plant Madeira river hydroelectric complex, which will consist of two dams in Brazil (3150 MW Santo Antonio at the city of Porto Velho and 3300 MW Jirau Dam
Jirau Dam
The Jirau Dam is a hydroelectric dam currently under construction on the Madeira River in the state of Rondônia, Brazil.The dam is part of a planned four power plant Madeira river hydroelectric complex, which will consist of two dams in Brazil , a third on the border of Brazil and Bolivia,...
about 100km upstream), a third on the border of Brazil and Bolivia (Guayaramerin), and a forth station inside Bolivia (Cachuela Esperanza). Two of these, Santo Antonio and Jirau, are currently under construction, while the smaller upstream dams are still in the planning stages. In part due to the 2001-2002 power shortage in Brazil, construction of both dams was accelerated in 2009, and now Santo Antonio is scheduled to begin commercial operation in December 2011, and Jirau will go on-stream one year later in 2012. The total estimated cost of the two facilities currently under construction is $15.6 billion ($7 billion for Santo Antônio), including about $10 billion for the civil engineering and power plants, and $5 billion for ship locks, transmission lines, and environmental re-mediation. The Madeira river hydroelectric complex is part of the Initiative for the Integration of Regional Infrastructure in South America (IIRSA), an effort by South American governments to integrate the continent's infrastructure with new investments in transportation, energy, and communication.
Design
The Santo Antônio Dam is designed as a run-of-the-river hydroelectric dam and power plant. The dam itself will be 13.9 m (46 ft) tall and 3100 m (10,171 ft) long, creating a reservoir with a surface area of 271 square kilometre (164 square kilometre of which is the existing river channel). The dam's power plant is divided into four sets of Kaplane-bulb turbinesKaplan turbine
The Kaplan turbine is a propeller-type water turbine which has adjustable blades. It was developed in 1913 by the Austrian professor Viktor Kaplan, who combined automatically adjusted propeller blades with automatically adjusted wicket gates to achieve efficiency over a wide range of flow and...
for a total of 44, each at 71.6 MW, for a total installed capacity of 3,150.4 MW. Bulb turbines are similar to a Kaplan turbine
Kaplan turbine
The Kaplan turbine is a propeller-type water turbine which has adjustable blades. It was developed in 1913 by the Austrian professor Viktor Kaplan, who combined automatically adjusted propeller blades with automatically adjusted wicket gates to achieve efficiency over a wide range of flow and...
, except that Bulb turbines are installed horizontally so that power can be recovered from both the hydrostatic head and from the kinetic energy of the incoming water. The power plant will have a maximum discharge of 24684 m3/s. The dam will have two spillway
Spillway
A spillway is a structure used to provide the controlled release of flows from a dam or levee into a downstream area, typically being the river that was dammed. In the UK they may be known as overflow channels. Spillways release floods so that the water does not overtop and damage or even destroy...
s; one on the main section and an auxiliary on the southern abutment. Both spillways will have a combined maximum discharge of 84000 m3/s to control reservoir levels. The dam will also support two fish ladder
Fish ladder
A fish ladder, also known as a fishway, fish pass or fish steps, is a structure on or around artificial barriers to facilitate diadromous fishes' natural migration. Most fishways enable fish to pass around the barriers by swimming and leaping up a series of relatively low steps into the waters on...
s and a shipping lock.
Impacts
Brazilian law requires water impoundments to undergo a very thorough approval process to ensure that each project meets environmental, social, political, and safety criteria. However, critics of the Jirau and Santo Antonio dam claim that many legal criteria were rubber-stamped before all questions from impacted groups had been addressed. The dam's social impacts received the majority of substantive criticism (see below). However, environmental groups noted that the fast track approval for the Madeira dams sets a dangerous precedent. Brazilian law allows for expedited licensing for eco-friendly projects described by the Worldwatch institute as "kindler, gentler dams with smaller reservoirs, designed to lessen social and environmental impacts." The Worldwatch institute insists that no project should "fast-track the licensing of new dams in Amazonia and allow projects to circumvent Brazil's tough environmental laws".Social
The most frequent objection is that the dam builders failed to adequately consult with indigenous peoples, as required by law. The Brazilian government indigenous protection foundation FUNAIFundação Nacional do Índio
Fundação Nacional do Índio or FUNAI is a Brazilian governmental protection agency for Indian interests and their culture.It was originally called the SPI and was founded by the Brazilian Marshal Cândido Rondon in 1910, who also created the agency's motto, "Die if necessary, but never kill." The...
predicts that there may be un-contacted indigenous populations in the region that will be affected by the Madeira complex. Most of the affected populations are nearest to the Jirau dam.
Environmental
Because both the Jirau and Santo Antonio dams are run-of-the-river projects, neither dam impounds a large reservoir. Both dams also feature significant environmental re-mediation efforts. As a consequence, there has not been strong environmental opposition to the implementation of the Madeira river complex. However, critics point out that if the fish ladders fail, "several valuable migratory fish species could suffer near-extinction as a result of the Madeira dams."Opportunities for Bolivia
Bolivia has been a landlocked country since it lost its coastline to Chile in the war of the pacificWar of the Pacific
The War of the Pacific took place in western South America from 1879 through 1883. Chile fought against Bolivia and Peru. Despite cooperation among the three nations in the war against Spain, disputes soon arose over the mineral-rich Peruvian provinces of Tarapaca, Tacna, and Arica, and the...
in 1884. Many Bolivians feel a deep and lasting bitterness due to this loss, and the Bolivian military continues to build and maintain an open ocean navy in Lake Titicaca
Lake Titicaca
Lake Titicaca is a lake located on the border of Peru and Bolivia. It sits 3,811 m above sea level, making it the highest commercially navigable lake in the world...
, awaiting an eventual recovery of access to the sea. The Madeira river complex presents an opportunity for Bolivia because all of the hydroelectric dams would feature ship locks
Lock (water transport)
A lock is a device for raising and lowering boats between stretches of water of different levels on river and canal waterways. The distinguishing feature of a lock is a fixed chamber in which the water level can be varied; whereas in a caisson lock, a boat lift, or on a canal inclined plane, it is...
capable of raising and lowering ocean going vessels. If the project is completed, "more than 4,000 km of waterways upstream from the dams in Brazil, Bolivia, and Peru would become navigable."
Hence, if the project is completed, both Bolivian commercial vessels and the Bolivian navy would have access to the open ocean, and lucrative sea lanes, for the first time in 120 years.