Caruachi (Francisco de Miranda)
Encyclopedia
The Caruachi Dam is a concrete gravity dam on the Caroní River
in Bolivar state
, Venezuela
. The dam supports a hydroelectric power facility with a 2,160 MW capacity. The facility is located about 59 kilometers downstream from the Guri Dam
belonging to the "Central Hidroeléctrica Simón Bolívar" and about 35 kilometres from where the Caroni and Orinoco
Rivers meet at Ciudad Guayana
.
-generators General Electric
supplied for the project began commercial operation in April 2003; the 12th and final unit entered service on February 28, 2006, and entered into formal/fully commercial operation on 31 March 2006, when the project was officially inaugurated.
The total installed capacity is 2,160 MW and the power plant will produce about 12 TW·h annually.
This project form jointly with the Central Hidroeléctrica Simón Bolívar in Guri, Antonio José de Sucre in Macagua and Manuel Piar in Tocoma (under construction), the development of Lower Caroní hydroelectric
resources and one of the world's largest hydro projects now in construction, that, when completed, EDELCA (Electrificación del Caroní CA) claims will save Venezuela the equivalent of 750,000 barrels of oil per day, compared to 300,000 currently.
Following GE's acquisition of Kvaerner's hydro business in 1999, over 90% of the Caruachi contract was carried out by GE Hydro, including all aspects of the design, supply and installation of the turbines, generators, governors, exciters and cranes. The 180 MW Kaplan turbine-generators are among 12 GE Hydro units for the Caruachi project.
ABB won three contracts to provide the power transmission system for the project. A 400 kV substation and four related 400 kV transmission lines connect the plant with the country's transmission network.
A 900 m right-abutment rockfill closure dam has a concrete slab face and a maximum height of 50 m, and a 4,200 m left-abutment earth and rockfill closure dam has a maximum height of 45 m.
A spillway with nine spans and radial surface gates has an aggregate 30,000 m³/s flow capacity.
A 470 m powerhouse is integrated with the main dam with space for 12 generating units (360 m) and an assembly bay (110 m).
Two transition dams have a 50 m intermediate buttress between the powerhouse and spillway. The 238 km² reservoir has a 91 m normal operating head.
Caroní River
The Caroni River is the second most important river of Venezuela, the second in flow, and one of the longest, 952 km from the Tepui Kuquenan, where she originates with the same name Kuquenan, up to its confluence with the River Orinoco to which basin she belongs...
in Bolivar state
Bolívar (state)
Bolívar State , is one of the 23 states into which Venezuela is divided. The state capital city is Ciudad Bolívar. Bolívar State covers a total surface area of 238,000 km² and in June 30, 2010 had an estimated population of 1,620,359....
, Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
. The dam supports a hydroelectric power facility with a 2,160 MW capacity. The facility is located about 59 kilometers downstream from the Guri Dam
Guri Dam
The Guri Dam is a concrete gravity and embankment dam in Bolívar State, Venezuela on the Caroni River. Its official name is Central Hidroeléctrica Simón Bolívar...
belonging to the "Central Hidroeléctrica Simón Bolívar" and about 35 kilometres from where the Caroni and Orinoco
Orinoco
The Orinoco is one of the longest rivers in South America at . Its drainage basin, sometimes called the Orinoquia, covers , with 76.3% of it in Venezuela and the remainder in Colombia...
Rivers meet at Ciudad Guayana
Ciudad Guayana
Ciudad Guayana is a city in Bolívar State, Venezuela. It lies south of the Orinoco, where the river is joined by the Caroní River. The city, officially founded in 1961, is actually composed of the old town of San Félix at the east and the new town of Puerto Ordaz at the west, which lie either...
.
The dam
The first of the 180 MW Kaplan turbineKaplan turbine
The Kaplan turbine is a propeller-type water turbine which has adjustable blades. It was developed in 1913 by the Austrian professor Viktor Kaplan, who combined automatically adjusted propeller blades with automatically adjusted wicket gates to achieve efficiency over a wide range of flow and...
-generators General Electric
General Electric
General Electric Company , or GE, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation incorporated in Schenectady, New York and headquartered in Fairfield, Connecticut, United States...
supplied for the project began commercial operation in April 2003; the 12th and final unit entered service on February 28, 2006, and entered into formal/fully commercial operation on 31 March 2006, when the project was officially inaugurated.
The total installed capacity is 2,160 MW and the power plant will produce about 12 TW·h annually.
This project form jointly with the Central Hidroeléctrica Simón Bolívar in Guri, Antonio José de Sucre in Macagua and Manuel Piar in Tocoma (under construction), the development of Lower Caroní hydroelectric
Hydroelectricity
Hydroelectricity is the term referring to electricity generated by hydropower; the production of electrical power through the use of the gravitational force of falling or flowing water. It is the most widely used form of renewable energy...
resources and one of the world's largest hydro projects now in construction, that, when completed, EDELCA (Electrificación del Caroní CA) claims will save Venezuela the equivalent of 750,000 barrels of oil per day, compared to 300,000 currently.
Design and construction
The contract for the design, supply and installation of the main electro-mechanical equipment was awarded to a consortium of Kvaerner of Norway (Kvaerner's hydro interests since acquired by GE), GE Energy of America and Elin Transormatoren GmbH of Austria. Major work began on the project in 1998.Following GE's acquisition of Kvaerner's hydro business in 1999, over 90% of the Caruachi contract was carried out by GE Hydro, including all aspects of the design, supply and installation of the turbines, generators, governors, exciters and cranes. The 180 MW Kaplan turbine-generators are among 12 GE Hydro units for the Caruachi project.
ABB won three contracts to provide the power transmission system for the project. A 400 kV substation and four related 400 kV transmission lines connect the plant with the country's transmission network.
Features
A main concrete 360 m gravity dam has a maximum height of 55 m from its foundations, with an integrated intake structure and powerhouse.A 900 m right-abutment rockfill closure dam has a concrete slab face and a maximum height of 50 m, and a 4,200 m left-abutment earth and rockfill closure dam has a maximum height of 45 m.
A spillway with nine spans and radial surface gates has an aggregate 30,000 m³/s flow capacity.
A 470 m powerhouse is integrated with the main dam with space for 12 generating units (360 m) and an assembly bay (110 m).
Two transition dams have a 50 m intermediate buttress between the powerhouse and spillway. The 238 km² reservoir has a 91 m normal operating head.
See also
- Guri DamGuri DamThe Guri Dam is a concrete gravity and embankment dam in Bolívar State, Venezuela on the Caroni River. Its official name is Central Hidroeléctrica Simón Bolívar...
- Macagua DamMacagua DamThe Macagua Dam, officially known as Antonio José de Sucre, is an embankment dam with concrete gravity sections on the Caroní River in Ciudad Guayana, Bolívar State, Venezuela. It is upstream from the confluence of the Caroni and Orinoco Rivers, downstream of the Guri Dam and downstream of the...
- List of conventional hydroelectric power stations