Fright at the Yacyretá binational hydroelectric plant, belonging to Paraguay and Argentina, on the Paraná River. On Friday night (28), the main transformer of Generating Unit No. 12 caught fire, mobilizing firefighters from both countries.
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In a statement sent to the press, Yacyretá confirmed the situation. According to the bulletin, the flames started at 20:15 pm and were extinguished at 21:02 pm, “with no reports of victims or injuries.”
“Technical authorities from both sides are working in a coordinated manner to assess what happened,” Yacyretá said. “The causes are under investigation.”
“The plant has backup transformers for this type of contingencies. It is estimated that replacing the affected equipment and restoring the unit’s operations will take approximately 60 days,” he added.
Yacyretá also reported that he has insurance to cover this type of emergency. The incident did not cause power outages in Argentina or Paraguay.
Yacyretá Hydroelectric Power Plant
Owned equally by Argentina and Paraguay, Yacyretá is located about 400 kilometers south of the Itaipu hydroelectric plant. The projects for both hydroelectric plants date back to the 1970s, but construction of Yacyretá began later, in 1983.
The inauguration of the first phase of the project took place in 1994. The process of gradually filling the reservoir, however, lasted until 2011, due to the need for additional works to protect populated areas.
The Paraguayan city of Encarnación, for example, lost its entire central area. On the other hand, it gained new development areas and river beaches that are now among the most sought-after destinations for tourists in Paraguay.
Yacyretá has an installed production capacity of 3,2 thousand megawatts, which is equivalent to the power of 4,5 Itaipu turbines (out of a total of 20).
