About Paradela Dam

Paradela dam is a major hydroelectric facility in the Cávado river basin in northern Portugal. The double-curvature arch dam was completed in 1958, stands 112 metres tall, and holds 164.4 million cubic metres. It forms part of the Cávado-Rabagão-Homem hydroelectric cascade, one of Portugal's most important renewable energy systems. The reservoir sits at a high elevation in the mountainous terrain of the Barroso region, surrounded by traditional villages and terraced hillsides. The Cávado system's multiple dams work in concert to maximize hydroelectric output while managing water flow through the river basin.