[2] Construction on the dam began in May 1957 with a goal to stabilize the river's flow, improve navigation and to produce hydroelectric power.

10,000 people worked on the project and Brazilian President Juscelino Kubitschek was influential in the dam's construction pace.

[4] When the reservoir was filled it formed an island that became the Pirapitinga Ecological Station, with an area of about 1,090 hectares (2,700 acres).

There is additional room for two more generators in the power station which would increase the capacity to 516.85 megawatts (693,110 hp) if installed.

[7] The dam regulates downstream water flows to other reservoirs and power plants, keeping a normal discharge of 500 cubic metres per second (18,000 cu ft/s).