On the Paraná river 14km north of Foz, the Itaipu Dam is the largest hydroelectric power plant on the planet . The numbers are impressive. The dam is 8km long and 65 stories high. The plant provides 22% of the electric energy consumed in Brazil, and more than 90% of the energy consumed in Paraguay. Even more extraordinary is the massive size of the construction that spans the river, the palpable power of the water rushing out of the spillway, and the endless array of power lines emanating from the plant.
