Located on the Iguaçu river in Paraná State, the project will be equipped with the biggest vertical Kaplan turbines, generating a total of 350MW. The first unit will be operating in the second semester of 2015. alstom’s electromechanical components will be produced at its Taubaté site, one of the company’s largest hydro factories in the world producing electromechanical equipment for hydropower plants for the Latin American market as well as for export.
The Kaplan turbines can be used in smaller flooded areas like the Iguaçu river. Iguaçu power plant is a low-head hydro project (15.7m) capable of generating power all year round, irrespective of the flow of the river, during both periods of flood and dry seasons in the region.