Costa Rica opens hydro plant with tallest dam

Costa Rica opened a new hydroelectric power plant that will use the Central American nation's tallest dam to supply clean electricity to around 12 percent of its population.

The 134-megawatt Pirrís power plant uses a dam with a capacity for 30 million cubic meters of water. Rising 371 feet, the dam is nearly two thirds the height of China's massive Three Gorges dam, though not nearly as wide.

Costing $627 million funded partly by Japan, the project is aimed at helping wean Costa Rica off costly oil imports.

Original source: Reuters