Condor Cliff Dam
Dam in Puerto Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, Argentina
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The "Complejo Hidroeléctrico Cóndor Cliff (ex-N.K) & La Barrancosa (ex G.J.C.) Dam, formerly known as Condor Cliff Dam, is a concrete-face rock-fill dam being built on the Santa Cruz River about 180 km (110 mi) west of Puerto Santa Cruz in Santa Cruz Province, Argentina. A consortium led by China's Gezhouba Group was awarded the contract to build the Condor Cliff & La Barrancosa Dam downstream in August 2013. The consortium will also fund the construction. Both dams are expected to cost nearly US$4.8 billion.[1] The dam is being built by Eling Ingeniería, the successor of Electroingeniería of Osvaldo Acosta and Gerardo Ferreyra.[2] The primary purpose of the dam is hydroelectric power generation and its power station will have an installed capacity of 1,140 megawatts (1,530,000 hp).[3]
| Condor Cliff Dam | |
|---|---|
  Condor Cliff Dam Location within Argentina | |
| Country | Argentina |
| Location | Puerto Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz Province |
| Coordinates | 50°12′41.67″S 70°46′30.29″W |
| Purpose | Power |
| Status | Under Construction |
| Dam and spillways | |
| Type of dam | Embankment, concrete-face rock-fill |
| Impounds | Santa Cruz River |
| Height | 75.5 m (248 ft) |
| Length | 2,780 m (9,120 ft) |
| Dam volume | 14,100,000 m3 (18,400,000 cu yd) |
| Reservoir | |
| Total capacity | 6,260×106 m3 (5,080,000 acre⋅ft) |
| Surface area | 275 km2 (106 sq mi) |
| Power Station | |
| Hydraulic head | 64.47 m (211.5 ft) |
| Turbines | 6 x 190 MW (250,000 hp) Francis-type |
| Installed capacity | 1,140 MW (1,530,000 hp) |
| Annual generation | 3,380 GWh (12,200 TJ) (estimated) |
In July 2015 machines arrived in Santa Cruz for the construction of the dams.[4]
In December 2016 Supreme Court of Argentina decided to suspend work on the dam.[5]
In December 2023 construction was stopped awaiting funding from China.[6]
On July 18, 2025, an agreement was signed with the companies and Governor Claudio Vidal to reactivate the construction of one of the dams in Santa Cruz, a project worth almost US$5 billion. In December 2025, the transfer of US$150 million to the Chinese company Gezhouba Group was finalized, a key step to restart one of the dams in the Cóndor Cliff – La Barrancosa hydroelectric complex on the Santa Cruz River, which has been under construction since 2023. [7]
