An underground power station is a type of hydroelectricpower station constructed by excavating the major components (e.g. machine hall, penstocks, and tailrace) from rock, rather than the more common surface-based construction methods.
One or more conditions impact whether a power station is constructed underground. The terrain or geology around a dam is taken into consideration, as gorges or steep valleys may not accommodate a surface power station. A power station within bedrock may be less expensive to construct than a surface power station on loose soil. Avalanche-prone valleys often make a surface station unfeasible as well.[1] After World War II, large hydroelectric power stations were placed underground more often in order to protect them from airstrikes.[2]
Often underground power stations form part of pumped storage hydroelectricity schemes, whose basic function is to level load: they use cheap or surplus off-peak power to pump water from a lower lake to an upper lake. During peak periods (when electricity prices are often high), the power station generates power from the water held in the upper lake.
Notable examplesEdit
Some notable underground power stations are:
Kazunogawa Power Station is a 1,200 MW underground pumped storage plant in Japan. Kazunogawa consists of four 400 MW generation units. The cavern for the underground power station is 1,600 feet (500 m) below the surface. It is 690 feet (210 m) long by 177 feet (54 m) high and 112 feet (34 m) wide. The head is 2,343 feet (714 m).
Churchill Falls Generating Station, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada is the second largest underground power station in the world. It generates 5,428 MW from 11 turbines. The powerhouse is 761 feet (232 m) long, 148 feet (45 m) high, 62 feet (19 m) wide and located 1,080 feet (330 m) underground. The two tailrace tunnels are 1691.64 m long. The net head is 312.42 m.
Kannagawa Hydropower Plant is a pumped-storage hydroelectric power plant near Minamiaiki in Nagano Prefecture and Ueno in Gunma Prefecture, Japan. The power house is 1,600 feet (490 m) underground and measures 708 ft (216 m) long, 108 feet (33 m) wide, and 169 feet (52 m) high. It contains 6 x 470 MW pump generators for a total capacity of 2,820 MW with an effective hydraulic head of 653 metres (2,142 ft) and maximum discharge of 510 cubic metres per second (18,000 cu ft/s). The first unit commenced operations in 2005, the second in 2012.[3]
Goldisthal Pumped Storage Station, in Thuringia, Germany, built in 1991-2004, generates 1,060 MW from 4 turbines. It is unique (for its scale) in Europe, in that two of the four motor generators are designed as variable speed asynchronous machines. The machine hall is 482 feet (147 m) long, 161 feet (49 m)high, 52 feet (16 m) wide, with a separate transformer cavern (390 feet (120 m) long, 49 feet (15 m)high, 52 feet (16 m) wide).
Manapouri Power Station, Fiordland, New Zealand, built 1963-1972, generates 850 MW from 7 turbines. It is built 660 feet (200 m) underground, and has two 10 km tailrace tunnels. The net head is 560 feet (170 m). The most notable feature of this station is that the lake and power station are located on the eastern side of the Southern Alps, with the tailrace tunnels traveling under a major mountain range, discharging in Doubtful Sound on the west coast.
Chaira Hydro Power Plant, Bulgaria, is the largest underground power station in the Balkans, built from 1980 to 1998. It has an installed capacity of 864 MW from four 216 MW reversible Francis turbines with a net rated head of 2,300 feet (701 m), and maximal speed of 600 rpm.
Cruachan Dam, United Kingdom, built in the early 1960s, a pumped storage plant generating 440 MW from 4 turbines.
Edward Hyatt Power Plant inside the Oroville Dam, United States, is in a cavern carved into the bedrock of the Feather River canyon. It houses 3 Generator and 3 Pump/Generator units and their respective Transformers 650 feet (200 m) below the crest of the dam.
Kariba hydro-electric power scheme (1,200 MW) is on the Zambezi river, which forms the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia. The Kariba system comprises two underground power stations. The Kariba South station in Zimbabwe houses six 100 MW generators. The Kariba North station in Zambia houses four 150 MW generators.
Paulo Afonso Hydroelectric Complex, Brazil; The combined 4,279.6 Paulo Afonso I, II and III were built underground. Completed in 1955, PA I was Brazil's first underground power station.[4]
Robert-Bourassa generating station, Quebec, Canada is the largest underground power station in the world. It generates 5,616 MW from 16 turbines with a net rated head of 450 feet (137.2 m).
^A K Raja, Amit Prakash Shriwastava, Manish Dwivedi. Power Plant Engineering. Digital Designs. pp. 358–359. Retrieved 25 January 2015.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
^Dandekar, M. M.; Sharma, K. N. (2010). Water power engineering. Noida: Vikas Publishing House. p. 381. ISBN978-0706986365. Retrieved 25 January 2015.
^"Kazunogawa Hydroelectric Power Plant, Japan". Power-Technology. Retrieved 14 August 2011.
^Muccini, Sandra (August 2007). (PDF). Rios Eletrônica – Revista Científica da FASETE (in Portuguese). 1 (1). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-03-12.
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An underground power station is a type of hydroelectric power station constructed by excavating the major components e g machine hall penstocks and tailrace from rock rather than the more common surface based construction methods Inside the Robert Bourassa generating station in northern Quebec the world s largest underground power station with an installed capacity of 5 616 MW One or more conditions impact whether a power station is constructed underground The terrain or geology around a dam is taken into consideration as gorges or steep valleys may not accommodate a surface power station A power station within bedrock may be less expensive to construct than a surface power station on loose soil Avalanche prone valleys often make a surface station unfeasible as well 1 After World War II large hydroelectric power stations were placed underground more often in order to protect them from airstrikes 2 Often underground power stations form part of pumped storage hydroelectricity schemes whose basic function is to level load they use cheap or surplus off peak power to pump water from a lower lake to an upper lake During peak periods when electricity prices are often high the power station generates power from the water held in the upper lake Notable examples EditSome notable underground power stations are Kazunogawa Power Station is a 1 200 MW underground pumped storage plant in Japan Kazunogawa consists of four 400 MW generation units The cavern for the underground power station is 1 600 feet 500 m below the surface It is 690 feet 210 m long by 177 feet 54 m high and 112 feet 34 m wide The head is 2 343 feet 714 m Churchill Falls Generating Station Newfoundland and Labrador Canada is the second largest underground power station in the world It generates 5 428 MW from 11 turbines The powerhouse is 761 feet 232 m long 148 feet 45 m high 62 feet 19 m wide and located 1 080 feet 330 m underground The two tailrace tunnels are 1691 64 m long The net head is 312 42 m Kannagawa Hydropower Plant is a pumped storage hydroelectric power plant near Minamiaiki in Nagano Prefecture and Ueno in Gunma Prefecture Japan The power house is 1 600 feet 490 m underground and measures 708 ft 216 m long 108 feet 33 m wide and 169 feet 52 m high It contains 6 x 470 MW pump generators for a total capacity of 2 820 MW with an effective hydraulic head of 653 metres 2 142 ft and maximum discharge of 510 cubic metres per second 18 000 cu ft s The first unit commenced operations in 2005 the second in 2012 3 Goldisthal Pumped Storage Station in Thuringia Germany built in 1991 2004 generates 1 060 MW from 4 turbines It is unique for its scale in Europe in that two of the four motor generators are designed as variable speed asynchronous machines The machine hall is 482 feet 147 m long 161 feet 49 m high 52 feet 16 m wide with a separate transformer cavern 390 feet 120 m long 49 feet 15 m high 52 feet 16 m wide Manapouri Power Station Fiordland New Zealand built 1963 1972 generates 850 MW from 7 turbines It is built 660 feet 200 m underground and has two 10 km tailrace tunnels The net head is 560 feet 170 m The most notable feature of this station is that the lake and power station are located on the eastern side of the Southern Alps with the tailrace tunnels traveling under a major mountain range discharging in Doubtful Sound on the west coast Boundary Dam Powerhouse in Pend Oreille County Washington United States completed in 1967 and diverting the Pend Oreille River through six units Boundary Powerhouse produces 1070 MW Owned and operated by Seattle City Light Chaira Hydro Power Plant Bulgaria is the largest underground power station in the Balkans built from 1980 to 1998 It has an installed capacity of 864 MW from four 216 MW reversible Francis turbines with a net rated head of 2 300 feet 701 m and maximal speed of 600 rpm Cruachan Dam United Kingdom built in the early 1960s a pumped storage plant generating 440 MW from 4 turbines Dinorwig Power Station Llanberis United Kingdom built in 1984 is a pumped storage system delivering 1 650 MW to Wales and the north west of England It stands in Europe s largest man made cavern Edward Hyatt Power Plant inside the Oroville Dam United States is in a cavern carved into the bedrock of the Feather River canyon It houses 3 Generator and 3 Pump Generator units and their respective Transformers 650 feet 200 m below the crest of the dam Kariba hydro electric power scheme 1 200 MW is on the Zambezi river which forms the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia The Kariba system comprises two underground power stations The Kariba South station in Zimbabwe houses six 100 MW generators The Kariba North station in Zambia houses four 150 MW generators Paulo Afonso Hydroelectric Complex Brazil The combined 4 279 6 Paulo Afonso I II and III were built underground Completed in 1955 PA I was Brazil s first underground power station 4 Poatina Hydroelectric Power Station Tasmania Australia built in 1966 1977 it generates 300 MW with water provided by the Great Lake it is the largest underground power station in Australia Raccoon Mountain Pumped Storage Plant Chattanooga Tennessee United States built in 1970 1978 generates 1 530 MW It is an early test of the pumped storage approach Robert Bourassa generating station Quebec Canada is the largest underground power station in the world It generates 5 616 MW from 16 turbines with a net rated head of 450 feet 137 2 m Snoqualmie Falls Hydroelectric Plant in King County Washington United States built in two stages Plant 1 completed in 1899 was the world s first completely underground power station and is still used to provide power to the Seattle area The two power houses have a combined installed capacity of 53 9 MW 5 See also Edit nbsp Energy portalUnderground power stationsReferences Edit A K Raja Amit Prakash Shriwastava Manish Dwivedi Power Plant Engineering Digital Designs pp 358 359 Retrieved 25 January 2015 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint multiple names authors list link Dandekar M M Sharma K N 2010 Water power engineering Noida Vikas Publishing House p 381 ISBN 978 0706986365 Retrieved 25 January 2015 Kazunogawa Hydroelectric Power Plant Japan Power Technology Retrieved 14 August 2011 Muccini Sandra August 2007 UMA CONTRIBUICAO A HISTORIOGRAFIA DE BASE LOCAL E PDF Rios Eletronica Revista Cientifica da FASETE in Portuguese 1 1 Archived from the original PDF on 2012 03 12 Snoqualmie Falls Hydroelectric Project Puget Sound Energy Retrieved 23 January 2015 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Underground power station amp oldid 1009430734, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
