Integrated Hydroelectric System Chão da Ribeira - Paúl - Calheta

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Type

Water Utilities

Local

Portugal

State

Finished

Year

2012

Client

EEM - Empresa de Electricidade da Madeira, S.A.

Integrated Hydroelectric System Chão da Ribeira - Paúl - Calheta

The hydroelectric system includes a dam (Lagoa do Poço Ladrão) that will constitute a strategic reserve of water, both for electricity generation and public supply. The dam will supply water for 3 destinations using turbines: Pico da Urze reservoir,  Canal do Norte and Fonte do Juncal. The main components that make part of the system are:
   • Lagoa do Poço Ladrão:
          - Reservoir volume: 2 x 106 m³, Maximum height: 17 m, Width: 2 - 5 m, Crown length: 1,480 m, Spillway design flow rate: 0.5 m³/s for a period of 1,000 years.
   • Tunnels:
          - Horizontal tunnel: Length: 815 m; Size: 8.7 x 7.9 m;
          - Vertical Tunnel: Length: 750 m; Diameter: 4.1 m
   • Mini-hydro:
          - Chão da Ribeira Mini-Hydro: Useful height: 931 m; Flow rate: 600 L/s; Turbine type: Pelton; Installed Capacity: 4.8 MW.
          - Fonte Juncal Mini-Hydro 1: Useful height: 574 m; Flow rate: 400 L/s; Turbine type: Pelton; Installed Capacity: 2 MW.
          - Fonte Juncal Mini-Hydro 2: Useful height: 267 m; Flow rate: 300 L/s; Turbine type: Pelton; Installed Capacity: 0.68 MW.
          - Canal Norte Mini-Hydro: Useful height: 409 m; Flow rate: 350 L/s; Turbine type: Pelton; Installed Capacity: 1.22 MW.
          - Pico da Urze Mini-Hydro: Useful height: 54 m; Flow rate: 600 L/s; Turbine type: Francis; Installed Capacity: 0.275 MW. 

Services provided in terms of feasibility study involved several areas, such as: Selection of infrastructure sites; Hydrological studies: Rainfall, soil erosion, flow rate measurement, energy analysis; Geological and geotechnical studies; Hydraulic flow and sediment modelling including the impact study of dam failure; Design of dam structures and other bodies; Hydraulic design of water intake tunnels, penstocks, spillways and turbines; Transient analysis and protective devices; Design of electrical and electromechanical equipment; Operational and safety guidelines; Economic and environmental analysis.