Chalillo Dam
Dam in Cayo / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The Chalillo Dam is a gravity dam on the Macal River about 33 km (21 mi) south of San Ignacio in Cayo District, Belize.[3][4] Chalillo Dam's maximum capacity is 7.0MW.[1][2] The dam was constructed by Sinohydro of Beijing, China between 2002 and 2005 with the primary purpose of hydroelectric power production.[5] It is owned and operated by Belize Electricity Limited (BEL). At the time of the dam's construction, BEL was owned by the Canadian corporation Fortis Inc., but is now owned by the government of Belize. The project budget was approximately US 30 million. Its construction generated controversy over its effect on the surrounding rain forest. Two smaller dams, the Mollejon and Vaca, are downstream from the Chalillo Dam.
Chalillo Dam | |
---|---|
Country | Belize |
Location | Cayo |
Coordinates | 16°51′41.09″N 89°00′47.56″W |
Purpose | Power |
Status | Operational |
Construction began | 2002 |
Opening date | 2005 |
Dam and spillways | |
Type of dam | Gravity, roller-compacted concrete |
Impounds | Macal River |
Height | 45 m (148 ft) |
Height (foundation) | 380 m (1,250 ft) |
Dam volume | 140,000 m3 (180,000 cu yd) |
Reservoir | |
Total capacity | 120,000,000 m3 (97,000 acre⋅ft) |
Installed capacity | 7 MW[1][2] |