The Guri Dam and Simon Bolivar Hydroelectric Power Station

One of the most impressive sites I saw during my trip to Angel Falls and the Amazon was the massive Guri Dam - constructed in the Necuima Canyon approximately 62 miles above of the mouth of the Caroni River in the Orinoco Delta. It’s known as The Simon Bolivar Hydroelectric Power Station and power generated by this dam supplies Venezuela with 82% of its electricity. The development, built in sections, continues to be a work in progress. Research reveals that during the first stage, which began in 1963 and was finalized in 1978, the plant generated a capacity of 2,065 megawatts (one megawatt ‘MW’ is equal to one million watts), bringing the dam to a maximum level of 215 meters or approximately 650’ feet above sea level. Located here are two machine rooms with ten generators each, producing up to ten million kilowatts an hour. The final stage of the Guri Dam was concluded in 1986; this allowed the dam to elevate the water to a maximum level of 272 meters. During this stage a second power plant was constructed that houses 10 units of 630 MW each. Currently, the Guri Dam, which produces 10,200 MW per day, occupies the third place in hydroelectric plants in the world with the Three Gorges Dam (China) being first and the Itapúa Dam between Brazil and Paraguay being second; however, two of the largest dams in the world are currently being built in Brazil’s Amazon. In addition to this, there are several other dams across Venezuela serving local needs.