Mazar Hydroelectric Plant, Ecuador

The southeastern area of Ecuador is crossed by the río Paute, a watercourse with significant energy potential. This is where the Mazar hydroelectric plant is located to produce clean and sustainable energy. This project represents the second phase: the first, the Amaluza-Molino project, in operation since 1983, has an installed capacity of 1,075 MW. The Mazar project, located immediately upstream of the Amaluza reservoir, adds a further 194 MW to the country's total energy capacity.

The Mazar project dam is a massive rock embankment with an impermeable concrete upstream face, 183m high and with a total volume of more than 5 million cubic metres. A 1,241-metre-long diversion tunnel, partially lined with concrete, was built for its construction. The dam has two independent spillways with a total capacity of 7,500 m³/s, one with a weir sill and the other controlled by a sector gate. In addition, it is equipped with a bottom outlet consisting of a tunnel.

The project's main underground works include a headrace tunnel, a penstock with a vertical shaft, an underground powerhouse housing two Francis turbines of 97 MW each, and an evacuation tunnel.

The Mazar hydroelectric plant is an energy source that contributes significantly to Ecuador's energy self-sufficiency, making sustainable use of natural resources to ensure a secure and sustainable future for the country.