power-plant-conversions-other

Power Plant Conversions, Museums & Historical Sites
other regions

Duck Reach (Australia)

Duck Reach Power Station was built and operated by the City of Launceston in Tasmania. It is considered the first publicly-owned hydroelectric plant in the Southern Hemisphere. The power station was built in 1895 and closed in 1955. The first equipment included five 15-kW DC dynamos and three 120-KW AC alternators with turbines built by Gilbert Gilkes and Siemens electrical equipment. In 1906, the AC equipment was mostly removed and replaced by four 445-hp Francis turbines from Kolben and Co, Prague, each driving a 300-kW alternator again built by Siemens. In 1926, an additional 800-kW set was added supplied by a new flume and aqueduct running from the South Esk River The powerhouse is now a museum and interpretive centre. One of the original 15-kW dynamos is preserved and on display.

Photograph by Peripitus (wikipedia)
Posted 15 Feb 2010

Molet (Argentina)

In 1897, Alfredo Molet began development of a new hydroelectric plant on the Río Suquía in Cordoba Province, Argentina, to supply power to the nearby calcium carbide works of Companía Molet de Carburo de Calcio. In 1902, actual development got underway, but in 1909 the hydroelectric scheme was sold to Companía General de Electricidad (CGE). In 1910, calcium carbide production was halted and so the new power plant was instead repurposed to supply electricity to the to the city of Cordoba. In 1946, it became the property of the Province of Cordoba and remained in service until 1959 when the new San Roque hydroelectric plant was commissioned 2km downstream on the Suquía. The nearby substation remains in service.

The first 478-kW unit at Molet came online in 1902 with a turbine from Amme Giesecke and Konegen and a generator from Siemens Shuckert. In 1912, CGE installed two 405-kW Escher Wyss turbines with Brown Boveri generators. After years of neglect, the generating plant was reopened as a Museo Usina Molet in May 2005. With technical assistance from ABB Argentina, the T/G sets were cleaned and refurbished along with the control panel, voltage regulators, relays, and other equipment.

Photograph courtesy of Museo Usina Molet
Posted 1 Feb 2009

Naharayim (Israel/Jordan)

This hydroelectric plant complex consists of three dams, intake channels, bridges, reservoirs, penstocks, and electromechanical equipment. The site is near the junction of the Jordan and Yarmuk rivers and was developed over 80yrs ago by Pinhas Rutenberg in what was then called Transjordan. Construction began in 1927 and almost 3,000 workers were employed during the five years of plant construction making it the biggest construction project to that date in Palestine. On 6 June 1933, the Naharayim power plant was dedicated in a ceremony presided over by the nominal owner, Emir Abdullah, the ruler of Transjordan. The powerhouse was designed for four T/G sets but only three were installed totaling 18.6 MW. In time, Naharayim supplied more than three-quarters of power generated by the Palestine Electric Corp, but this contribution diminished as conventional thermal plants were installed in the region.

Naharayim operated until 1948, when it was abandoned and partially destroyed. For almost 50yrs, the plant's dams, bridges, and reservoir were inaccessible. In 1994, the Israel-Jordan Peace Treaty turned the area into an international border crossing and there is now a proposal by Friends of the Earth Middle East (FoEME) to revive the area, including the power plant assets, as a Peace Park and eco-tourism site. In part, the project also proposes to re-build the wetlands along the lower Jordan River.

Photograph courtesy of Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Posted 6 Aug 2008

Updated 05/01/10

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Duck Reach (Australia) Duck Reach Power Station was built and operated by the City of Launceston in Tasmania. It is considered the first publicly-owned hydroelectric plant in the Southern Hemisphere. The power station was built in 1895 and closed in 1955. The first equipment included five 15-kW DC dynamos and three 120-KW AC alternators with turbines built by Gilbert Gilkes and Siemens electrical equipment. In 1906, the AC equipment was mostly removed and replaced by four 445-hp Francis turbines from Kolben and Co, Prague, each driving a 300-kW alternator again built by Siemens. In 1926, an additional 800-kW set was added supplied by a new flume and aqueduct running from the South Esk River The powerhouse is now a museum and interpretive centre. One of the original 15-kW dynamos is preserved and on display. Photograph by Peripitus (wikipedia) Posted 15 Feb 2010	Molet (Argentina) In 1897, Alfredo Molet began development of a new hydroelectric plant on the Río Suquía in Cordoba Province, Argentina, to supply power to the nearby calcium carbide works of Companía Molet de Carburo de Calcio. In 1902, actual development got underway, but in 1909 the hydroelectric scheme was sold to Companía General de Electricidad (CGE). In 1910, calcium carbide production was halted and so the new power plant was instead repurposed to supply electricity to the to the city of Cordoba. In 1946, it became the property of the Province of Cordoba and remained in service until 1959 when the new San Roque hydroelectric plant was commissioned 2km downstream on the Suquía. The nearby substation remains in service. The first 478-kW unit at Molet came online in 1902 with a turbine from Amme Giesecke and Konegen and a generator from Siemens Shuckert. In 1912, CGE installed two 405-kW Escher Wyss turbines with Brown Boveri generators. After years of neglect, the generating plant was reopened as a Museo Usina Molet in May 2005. With technical assistance from ABB Argentina, the T/G sets were cleaned and refurbished along with the control panel, voltage regulators, relays, and other equipment. Photograph courtesy of Museo Usina Molet Posted 1 Feb 2009

Naharayim (Israel/Jordan) This hydroelectric plant complex consists of three dams, intake channels, bridges, reservoirs, penstocks, and electromechanical equipment. The site is near the junction of the Jordan and Yarmuk rivers and was developed over 80yrs ago by Pinhas Rutenberg in what was then called Transjordan. Construction began in 1927 and almost 3,000 workers were employed during the five years of plant construction making it the biggest construction project to that date in Palestine. On 6 June 1933, the Naharayim power plant was dedicated in a ceremony presided over by the nominal owner, Emir Abdullah, the ruler of Transjordan. The powerhouse was designed for four T/G sets but only three were installed totaling 18.6 MW. In time, Naharayim supplied more than three-quarters of power generated by the Palestine Electric Corp, but this contribution diminished as conventional thermal plants were installed in the region. Naharayim operated until 1948, when it was abandoned and partially destroyed. For almost 50yrs, the plant's dams, bridges, and reservoir were inaccessible. In 1994, the Israel-Jordan Peace Treaty turned the area into an international border crossing and there is now a proposal by Friends of the Earth Middle East (FoEME) to revive the area, including the power plant assets, as a Peace Park and eco-tourism site. In part, the project also proposes to re-build the wetlands along the lower Jordan River. Photograph courtesy of Ministry of Foreign Affairs Posted 6 Aug 2008