Copel Keeps Spillway Gates Open at Paraná Reservoirs for Flood Control

Copel is maintaining its reservoirs at safe levels in Paraná, operating with spillway gates open at several hydroelectric plants following intense rainfall, aimed at flood prevention.

The recent and heavy rains that hit the state of Paraná between Wednesday night and Thursday morning significantly increased the water volume in the rivers and hydrographic basins where Copel operates its hydroelectric plants. This scenario of continuous precipitation led the company to adopt a proactive operational strategy, focused on keeping reservoirs below their maximum capacity to ensure safety and prevent risk situations.

The most visible measure of this strategy is the operation with open spillway gates at plants located on the Iguaçu, Tibagi, and Capivari rivers. This action is crucial for managing water flow and protecting riverside communities, demonstrating the company’s commitment to responsible water resource management and public safety.

Flood Management on the Iguaçu River

On the Iguaçu River, which hosts Copel’s main regulatory assets, the complex of plants comprising Foz do Areia, Segredo, and Salto Caxias intensified proactive water discharge. The Foz do Areia plant in Pinhão, considered the primary retention barrier at the river’s headwaters and in the União da Vitória region, is operating with its storage level at 88%. Currently, it receives an impressive inflow of approximately 2.4 million liters of water per second.

To reduce the reservoir’s level and ensure operational stability, the company is performing a combined discharge, using both energy generation through turbines and spilling through the gates, totaling about 3 million liters per second. The consequence of the rains along the Iguaçu River necessitates widening the spillway gate openings at downstream plants, reflecting the dynamic propagation of floods through the National Interconnected System (SIN).

At the Segredo plant, located between Reserva do Iguaçu and Mangueirinha, the total volume of water released doubled in one day, reaching 4 million liters per second. Further downstream, near the river’s mouth in the state’s Southwest region, the Salto Caxias plant, between Capitão Leônidas Marques and Nova Prata do Iguaçu, is operating with a combined flow of approximately 5 million liters per second, resulting from generated energy and the volume discharged through the spillways.

Situation on the Capivari and Tibagi Rivers

The flood conditions are not limited to the Iguaçu, also affecting Copel’s operations in the East Region and the Campos Gerais region of Paraná. At the Capivari River dam in Campina Grande do Sul, which supplies the Governador Parigot de Souza plant, storage is stabilized at 88%, requiring additional gate openings for level control.

On the Tibagi River, the operational response to increased inflows was anticipated. At the Governador Jayme Canet Jr. (Mauá) plant, Copel increased the spilled volume since last Wednesday, adopting a full flow-through regime. This means that all water entering the reservoir is discharged downstream, divided between turbine intake and direct discharge through safety structures.

Spilling maneuvers and the proactive lowering of reservoir levels follow strict engineering and dam safety protocols. All discharge and flood control programming is executed in an integrated manner and under centralized directives from the National Electric System Operator (ONS).

Prevention and Continuous Alert

These spilling maneuvers and the proactive lowering of reservoir levels are conducted under rigorous engineering and dam safety protocols. All discharge and flood control programming is coordinated in an integrated manner and follows the centralized directives of the National Electric System Operator (ONS), ensuring synergy between actions.

In conjunction with constant hydrological monitoring, publicly available on its website, Copel maintains a permanent communication channel with the State Civil Defense. Both agencies reinforce the warning for riverside communities, fishermen, and visitors to avoid approaching riverbanks and risk areas in the downstream sections of the dams during this flood period. Vigilance and precaution are essential for everyone’s safety, mitigating the risks associated with the high volume of water.