Bolarque Dam Explained

Bolarque Dam
Name Official:Presa de Bolarque
Location Map:Spain
Coordinates:40.3622°N -2.8187°W
Location:Cuenca and Guadalajara, Spain
Purpose:Power
Status:O
Opening:1910
Owner:Unión Fenosa
Operator:Unión Fenosa
Dam Type:Concrete gravity dam
Dam Crosses:Tagus
Dam Height Foundation:36m (118feet)
Dam Length:292m (958feet)
Dam Elevation Crest:643m (2,110feet)
Dam Volume:160000m2
Spillway Type:Over the dam
Spillway Capacity:1700m3/s
Res Capacity Total:30710000m2
Res Capacity Active:23000000m2
Res Surface:5.1km2
Plant Operator:Unión Fenosa
Plant Commission:Bolarque I: 1910
Bolarque II: 1974
Bolarque III: 2010
Plant Hydraulic Head:Bolarque I: 42m (138feet) (max)
Bolarque II: 269.5m (884.2feet)
Plant Turbines:Bolarque I: 2 x 14 MW Francis-type
Bolarque II: 4 x 52 MW Francis-type
Plant Capacity:Bolarque I: 28 MW
Bolarque II: 208 MW
Bolarque III: 4,2 MW

Bolarque Dam (Spanish; Castilian: Presa de Bolarque|links=no) is a concrete gravity dam on the Tagus in Spain, where the river forms the border between the provinces of Cuenca and Guadalajara. About 6 km downstream from the dam is the José Cabrera Nuclear Power Station.

Work on the dam began in 1907. In 1908 more than 1300 workers were employed at the construction site. The dam was officially inaugurated on June 23, 1910 by king Alfonso XIII. It is owned by Unión Fenosa.

Dam

Bolarque Dam is a 36 m tall (height above foundation) and 292 m long gravity dam with a crest altitude of 643 m. The volume of the dam is 160,000 m³. The dam features a spillway over the dam (maximum discharge 1,700 m³/s) and one bottom outlet (maximum discharge 70 m³/s). The initial height of the dam was 24 m; it was raised to 36 m in 1954.

Reservoir

At full reservoir level, the reservoir of the dam has a surface area of 5.1 km² and a total capacity of 30.7 mio. m³; its active capacity is 23 mio. m³.

Power plant

Bolarque I

The original hydroelectric power plant went operational in 1910. The generated power at that time was evacuated to Madrid. In 1954 the plant was closed and replaced with the actual power plant. It has a nameplate capacity of 28 MW and contains 2 Francis turbine-generators with 14 MW each. The maximum hydraulic head is 42 m. Maximum flow is 85 m³/s.

Bolarque II

The pumped-storage power plant was built between 1969 and 1974. It went on line in 1973. The plant has a nameplate capacity of 203 (208) MW. According to this source, the nameplate capacity is 208 MW when pumping and 239 MW when generating energy. The power station contains 4 reversible Francis turbine-generators with 52 MW each. The maximum hydraulic head is 269.5 (245) m. Maximum flow is 98.8 (99) m³/s when generating energy and 66 m³/s when pumping.

Bolarque II is the starting point of the Tagus-Segura Water Transfer. 2 penstocks (length 1.025 m, diameter 3.15 to 3.45 m) link the pumped-storage power plant with the reservoir of Bujeda dam, which is used as an upper reservoir. From Bujeda reservoir water is then transferred to the reservoir of Alarcón dam.

Bolarque III

In 2010 an additional power plant with a nameplate capacity of 4.2 MW was opened.

See also

External links