|
Gariep
Location: South Africa
Operator: Eskom
Configuration: 4 X 90 MW Francis
Operation: 1971-1976
T/G supplier: Fuji, Toshiba
Quick facts: The village built in 1960 to house dam workers has now
become a holiday resort. The Gariep Dam and 90km reservoir, about 200km
south of Bloemfontein on the Orange River,
is now a major regional tourist attraction. The Gariep Dam Nature
reserve is home to many species of antelope and the Cape zebra.
Photograph courtesy of Eskom
Posted 7 Mar 2001 |
Kariba Dam
Location: Zambia/Zimbabwe
Operator: Kariba North Bank Co Ltd (K North), ZESA (K South)
Configuration: 4 X 150 MW Francis (KNorth), 6 X 111 MW Francis
(K South)
Operation: 1959-1974
T/G supplier: Voest, Boving, MV, Koncar
EPC: Sir Alexander Gibb & Partners, Mitchell Construction
Quick facts: This 128m dam is downstream of the
Victoria Falls and upstream of Cahora Bassa Dam. Approximately 25% of
all of the water flowing into Lake Kariba is lost to evaporation.
Photograph by A R Turton and courtesy of AWIRU
Posted 5 Dec 2004 |
Katse Dam
Location: Lesotho
Operator: Lesotho Highlands Development Auth
Configuration: 2 X 500 kW
Operation: 1997
T/G supplier: ??
Quick facts: The 185m Katse Dam is the tallest in
Africa. The dam is a double curvature concrete arch, 710m
along the crest. The two minihydro sets suffice to power dam
operations.
Photograph by A R Turton and courtesy of AWIRU
Posted 5 Dec 2004 |
|
Maguga Dam
Location: Swaziland
Operator: Komati Basin Water Authority
Configuration: 2 X 10 MW Francis
Operation: 2007
T/G supplier: Alstom
EPC: Ninham Shand, Keeve Steyn, VKE Engineers, SRK Consultants, ZMCK,
Kagga & Partners, M&E Consultants, LTA, Group 5, Grinaker, WBHO,
Swaziland Contractors Association
Quick facts: Kobwa is a bi-national company formed in 1993 through the
treaty on the Development and Utilization of the Water Resources of the
Komati River Basin signed in 1992 between the Kingdom of Swaziland and
the Republic of South Africa. Phase 1B of Kobwa’s initial development
was Maguga Dam. The clay core, rock-fill dam is 12km south of Pigg's
Peak and has a total height of 115m, making it the fifth highest dam in
Southern Africa. A 460m outlet tunnel is equipped with twin 2000mm
diameter steel penstocks. Power generation is dependant on irrigation
requirements and therefore varies widely. Since high floods can occur on
the Komati River at Maguga, a very large spillway was constructed.
Photograph by nyinyu (Panoramio)
Posted 26 Dec 2008 |
Mandraka-I
Location: Madagascar
Operator: Jiro sy Rano Malagasy
Configuration: 4 X 6 MW Pelton
Operation: 1958-1972
T/G supplier: Vevey, Althom-Jeumont, BBC
Quick facts: The Mandraka site is 70km from Antananarivo, on the road to
Toamasina. Each group is equipped with two runners on the same turbine
shaft, with two injectors per runner. In Nov 2003, VA TECH Hydro in
France was awarded a contract to rehabilitate the plant. The scope
included four new runners, two new turbine shafts, four new oil tanks
with accumulators, two new speed governors, the rehabilitation of
mechanical components as well as an electrical assembly comprising
transformers, plus switchgear and electrical equipment supplied by
CEGELEC. Funding is from the EIB.
Photograph courtesy of Dilag-Tours
Posted 15 Feb 2008 |
Sahanivotry
Location: Madagascar
Operator: Hydelec Madagascar SA
Configuration: 3 X 5 MW Pelton
Operation: 2008
T/G supplier: Hunan Lingling Hengyuan
EPC: Stucky
Quick facts: When commissioned In Oct 2008, this was Madagascar’s first
such plant of any size built in 30yrs. Prime Minister Charles Rabemananjara
presided at the opening ceremony. The €15mn plant was financed by Banque
Africaine de Developpement, BFV-Societe Generale, and Mauritius
Commercial Bank. MIGA also issued a 15yr guarantee of $19.89mn to Energy
Engineering Investment covering its equity investment in and shareholder
loans to Hydelec. The project was implemented under a 30yr concession
agreement and Hydelec has a 10yr power purchase agreement with Jirama.
Annual production will be about 70 GWh and the expected generation cost
is 4.8 cents/kWh. The turbines operate with a head of 243m and the plant
is connected via a 63kV line running about 30km north to Jirama’s
substation at Antsirabe. This was built by BP Automation.
Photograph courtesy of Hydelec Madagascar
Posted 15 Feb 2008 |
|
Sol Plaatje Dam
Location: South Africa
Operator: Bethlehem Hydro (Pty) Ltd
Configuration: 3 X 1 MW Kaplan
Operation: 2009
T/G supplier: Boving Fouress
EPC: Ninham Shand Consulting Engineers, Eigenbau (Pty) Ltd
Quick facts: This plant at the wall of the Sol Plaatje Dam on the Ash River
in Free State was commissioned in Oct 2009, the first new hydro plant in
South Africa since 1988. Project development of this facility and a
sister plant at Merino started in 2001 and financial close was in Aug
2005. Construction got underway in Dec 2006. Permitting, licensing, and
PPA agreements were essentially first of a kind in the country. Annual
output from Sol Plaatje is expected to be 19 GWh/yr The projects cost
about R100mn, up substantially from the initial R77mn cost estimate.
Photograph courtesy of Bethlehem Hydro (Pty) Ltd
Posted 12 Dec 2009 |
|
Vanderkloof Dam
Location: South Africa
Operator: Eskom
Configuration: 2 X 120 MW Francis
Operation: 1977
T/G supplier: Hitachi, Toshiba
EPC: DWAF
Quick facts: Originally called the P K le Roux Dam. The dam is
130km downstream of Gariep and forms the second largest reservoir in South
Africa. The composite gravity arch dam is 107m high and 765m long.
Construction was deferred in 1967 and re-tendered in 1970. Costs
were much higher than expected so DWAF was directed to undertake
construction with design by a consortium of local and overseas companies.
Construction started in Apr 1971 and the project was commissioned in Sep
1977.
Photograph by R McKenzie and courtesy of Department of Water Affairs and Forestry
Posted 19 Mar 2006 |
