The dam serves an associated hydroelectric power plant with a 2,082 megawatts (2,792,000 hp) installed capacity.

[2] Between 1963 and 1965, a consortium of U.S., Canadian and Brazilian engineering firms studied and selected sites in Brazil for dams that would assist in developing the region with electricity.

[3] Construction on the dam and power plant began in November 1974 and the river was diverted by September 1, 1976.

On October 1, 1979, the reservoir behind the dam began to fill and on September 30, 1979, the left embankment was complete while the right was on November 30 of that same year.

97% of the firms working on the project were Brazilian and 90% of the supplies provided for construction were from Brazil.