The
Afobaka Dam is an
embankment dam with a main
gravity dam section on the
Suriname River near
Afobaka in
Brokopondo District of
Suriname. The primary purpose of the dam is to generate
hydroelectric power and it supports a 180 MW power station. In 1958, Suriname Aluminum Company LLC (Suralco), a subsidiary of
Alcoa, gained an agreement with the Suriname government to build the dam to power an
aluminium smelter. Construction began in 1961 and it was completed in 1964. About 75% of power generated is used for processing aluminum, the rest is used in
Paramaribo downstream. The power station was operational in 1965 but the very large reservoir,
Brokopondo Reservoir, was not completely filled until 1971.
Greenhouse gases emitted from the reservoir resulted in poor water quality for decades. Highly
acidic water also damaged the power station's turbines.