Chixoy Hydroelectric Dam
The Chixoy Dam (Spanish: Planta Hidroeléctrica Chixoy) is a reinforced concrete dam and power plant spanning the Chixoy River between the Departments of Baja Verapaz, El Quiché and Alta Verapaz, Guatemala. It is the largest structure of its kind in the country.
| Chixoy Dam | |
|---|---|
| Official name | Planta Hidroeléctrica Chixoy |
| Location | San Cristóbal Verapaz (Alta Verapaz) |
| Coordinates | 15.281536°N 90.490952°W |
| Construction began | 1976 |
| Opening date | 1983 |
| Construction cost | US$ 944 million |
| Operator(s) | EGEE - INDE |
| Dam and spillways | |
| Impounds | Chixoy River (Río Negro) |
| Height | 90 m |
| Length | 250 m |
| Width (base) | 12 m |
| Reservoir | |
| Total capacity | 460 million m3 |
| Surface area | 14,000 hectares |
It was built between 1976 and 1985 and generates approximately 15% of the country's electricity.
The dam's construction was very controversial and displaced many indigenous Maya Achi peoples. Government forced relocations resulted in the Río Negro massacres which claimed up to 5,000 lives between 1980 and 1982.
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