Carrapatelo Dam
Carrapatelo Dam is located in Portugal
Carrapatelo Dam
Location of Carrapatelo Dam in Portugal
Official nameBarragem do Carrapatelo
CountryPortugal
Locationmunicipalities of Marco de Canaveses, Porto District and Cinfães, Viseu District
Coordinates41°5′5.6″N 8°7′50.2″W / 41.084889°N 8.130611°W / 41.084889; -8.130611
StatusOperational
Construction began1964
Opening date1972
Owner(s)Companhia Portuguesa de Produção de Electricidade
Operator(s)Energias de Portugal
Dam and spillways
Type of damConcrete gravity dam
ImpoundsDouro
Height (foundation)57 m (187 ft)
Length400 m (1,300 ft)
Elevation at crest55 m (180 ft)
Dam volume190,000 m3 (6,700,000 cu ft)
Spillway typeDam body
Spillway capacity22,000 m3 (780,000 cu ft)
Reservoir
Total capacity148,400,000 m3 (120,300 acre⋅ft)
Active capacity9,000,000 m3 (7,300 acre⋅ft)
Surface area9.52 km2 (3.68 sq mi)
Normal elevation46.5 m (153 ft)
Operator(s)Energias de Portugal
Commission date1971
Hydraulic head37 m (121 ft) (max)
Turbines3 x 63.4 MW Kaplan-type
Installed capacity201 MW
Annual generation806.1 GWh

Carrapatelo Dam (Portuguese: Barragem do Carrapatelo) is a concrete gravity dam on the Douro, where the river forms the border line between the districts of Porto and Viseu. It is located in the municipalities of Marco de Canaveses, in Porto District, and Cinfães, Viseu District, Portugal.

Construction of the dam began in 1964. The dam was completed in 1972. It is owned by Companhia Portuguesa de Produção de Electricidade (CPPE).[1]

Dam

Carrapatelo Dam is a 57 m tall (height above foundation) and 400 m long gravity dam with a crest altitude of 55 m. The volume of the dam is 190,000 m³. The spillway is part of the dam body (maximum discharge 22,000[2] m³/s). There is also a bottom outlet.[1]

Reservoir

At full reservoir level of 46.5 m the reservoir of the dam has a surface area of 9.52 km² and its total capacity is 148.4 mio. m³. The active capacity is 9 (15,6[2] or 16[3]) mio. m³.[1]

Panoramic view of the dam from a boat on the lake

Power plant

The run-of-the-river hydroelectric power plant went operational in 1971. It is owned by CPPE, but operated by EDP.[4] The plant has a nameplate capacity of 201[1][2][4][5] (180)[3] MW. Its average annual generation is 806.1[2] (783,[5] 870.6[1][4] or 882[3]) GWh.

The power station contains 3 Kaplan turbine-generators with 63.4 MW each in a dam powerhouse. The turbine rotation is 115.4 rpm. The minimum hydraulic head is 20 m, the maximum 37 m. Maximum flow per turbine is 290 m³/s.[2]

The first 2 machines went operational in 1971, the third in 1972. The turbines were provided by Kværner, the generators by Brown, Boveri & Cie.[4]

Lock

Inside the 35 m lock

On the right side of the dam is a lock, which can handle ships with the following maximum properties: 83 m in length, 11.40 m on the beam, 3.8 m load-draught and a cargo capacity of 2500 tons.[6] The water level change through the lock is about 35 m.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e "CARRAPATELO DAM". APA Barragens de Portugal. Retrieved 2015-02-11.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Carrapatelo Informação Técnica" (in Portuguese). Energias de Portugal. Archived from the original on 2017-08-13. Retrieved 2015-02-11.
  3. ^ a b c "Hidroelectricidade em Portugal memória e desafio" (PDF) (in Portuguese). Rede Eléctrica Nacional, S.A. p. 29 (27). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2021-06-27. Retrieved 2015-02-05.
  4. ^ a b c d "Carrapatelo Hydroelectric Power Plant Portugal". Global Energy Observatory. Retrieved 2015-02-11.
  5. ^ a b "DECLARAÇÃO AMBIENTAL 2012" (PDF) (in Portuguese). Energias de Portugal. pp. 34–35 (32–33). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-11-03. Retrieved 2015-02-07.
  6. ^ "waterway introduction". Instituto Portuário e dos Transportes Marítimos. Retrieved 2015-02-11.
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