Paute Dam
Encyclopedia
The Paute Dam, also known as the Daniel Palacios Dam and the Amaluza Dam, is the largest hydroelectric dam in Ecuador
. It is located on the Paute River
, 125 km from Cuenca
. After the privatization of power generation that began in 1996 under the government of Sixto Durán Ballén
, the dam passed into the hands of the company Hidropaute SA and then returned to state ownership during the government of Rafael Correa when Hidropaute became part of the Ecuador Electricity Corporation (Corporación Eléctrica del Ecuador, CELEC).
Paute was constructed between 1976 and 1983 on the Paute River and designed on the premise that it would be erected upstream of the Mazar Dam. In late 2009, low water levels at the dam were the primary cause of an electricity crisis in Ecuador
.
Ecuador
Ecuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
. It is located on the Paute River
Paute River
The Paute River is a river of Ecuador. It is a tributary of the Santiago River, which is a tributary of the Amazon River. The Paute Dam is located on the river.-References:* Rand McNally, The New International Atlas, 1993.* *...
, 125 km from Cuenca
Cuenca, Ecuador
Cuenca is the capital of the Azuay Province. It is located in the highlands of Ecuador at about 2500 m above sea level...
. After the privatization of power generation that began in 1996 under the government of Sixto Durán Ballén
Sixto Durán Ballén
Sixto Alfonso Durán-Ballén Cordovez is an U.S.-born Ecuadorian political figure and architect. He served as Mayor of Quito between 1970 and 1978, and as president of Ecuador between 1992 and 1996...
, the dam passed into the hands of the company Hidropaute SA and then returned to state ownership during the government of Rafael Correa when Hidropaute became part of the Ecuador Electricity Corporation (Corporación Eléctrica del Ecuador, CELEC).
Paute was constructed between 1976 and 1983 on the Paute River and designed on the premise that it would be erected upstream of the Mazar Dam. In late 2009, low water levels at the dam were the primary cause of an electricity crisis in Ecuador
2009 Ecuador electricity crisis
The 2009 Ecuador electricity crisis was caused by a severe drought that depleted water levels at hydroelectric plants. Ecuador experienced rolling blackouts for two to six hours per day that lasted from November 2009 until January 2010.-Background:...
.