Peixoto Dam, also known as Mascarenhas de Moraes Hydroelectric Plant, is a hydroelectric dam on the Grande River in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, about 20 kilometres (12 mi) west of Delfinópolis. Studies for a dam at the Peixoto site were first carried out in 1947 by the Companhia Paulista de Força e Luz, which obtained rights to develop the site in 1950. The dam was built between 1952 and 1957 with help from the United States and the dam dedicated on April 30, 1957 by Brazilian President Juscelino Kubitschek. The first two Francis turbine-generators came online in 1957, and eight more were installed by 1968, bringing the plant to its full capacity of 476 megawatts (638,000 hp). Since 1973, the dam and hydroelectric power plant have been operated by Eletrobras Furnas. Peixoto was the