Itaipu Binacional will hold the final presentation of its light and sound show with the current monumental lighting system this Saturday. The show, which has attracted visitors for nearly 24 years, will be suspended for approximately one year for the implementation of new LED technology.
The system modernization became necessary due to increasing difficulty in finding replacement parts for the metal vapor lamps currently in use, whose manufacturers no longer produce high-power equipment of this type. The full replacement was planned since 2006-2007, when the binational entity began studying the transition to LED.
The new project will maintain the existing 829 lighting points and preserve the essence of the original design, conceived in 1997 by Brazilian designer Peter Gasper and inaugurated on November 14, 2002. LED technology, however, will bring greater versatility, allowing colors and light intensity to be modified quickly and programmatically through a control console, without the need for manual interventions as currently required.
Since 2005, the light show on the right bank of the power plant has received 765,147 visitors, establishing itself as one of the main nighttime attractions of the border region and diversifying the tourism offerings of the Itaipu Tourist Complex (CTI). With the modernization, the binational entity intends to expand presentations, currently limited to Fridays and Saturdays, to four or five days per week.
The technology chosen for the update is the same used in emblematic architectural lighting projects worldwide, such as the Empire State Building in New York, Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, and Curitiba Botanical Garden.