The Itaipu Hydroelectric Plant, located in the Brazil-Paraguay border, generaged 94,684,000megawatt-hours of electricity in 2008, hitting a record high, the plant authority said Friday.

    According to the administration of the plant, the figure is the highest for any single hydroelectric plant in the world. The previous record of 93,427,600 megawatt-hours was in 2000, also created by Itaipu.

    Officials said energy produced at the Itaipu Dam in 2008 would be sufficient for a country the size of Argentina for a year, or for Paraguay for 11 years.

    Itaipu's Brazilian general-director Jorge Samek said the record high production was a result of sufficient water, available machinery and rising demand.

    "In a moment of economic uncertainties, Itaipu gives its contribution so that Brazil keeps on the path of development," he said.

    According to Itaipu's executive technical director Antonio Otelo Cardoso, if favorable conditions remain and the economy keeps growing, the record might be surpassed in 2009.

    Itaipu, whose production is shared in half between Brazil and Paraguay, meets 19 percent of Brazil's energy needs. While Brazil consumes its entire half, Paraguay only consumes some five percent of its share and sells the rest to Brazil.