Touvedo Dam Explained

Touvedo Dam
Name Official:Barragem de Touvedo
Location Map:Portugal
Coordinates:41.8125°N -8.3538°W
Country:Portugal
Location:municipality Ponte da Barca e Arcos de Valdevez, Viana do Castelo District
Purpose:Power, irrigation, flood control
Status:O
Construction Began:1987
Opening:1993
Owner:Companhia Portuguesa de Produção de Electricidade
Operator:Energias de Portugal
Dam Type:Concrete gravity dam
Dam Crosses:Limia
Dam Height Foundation:42.5m (139.4feet)
Dam Length:133.5m (438feet)
Dam Elevation Crest:55m (180feet)
Dam Volume:74620m2
Spillway Type:Over the dam
Spillway Capacity:3200m3/s
Res Capacity Total:15500000m2
Res Capacity Active:4500000m2
Res Surface:1.72km2
Res Elevation:50m (160feet)
Plant Operator:Energias de Portugal
Plant Commission:1993
Plant Hydraulic Head:25m (82feet) (max)
Plant Turbines:1 x 22.2 MW Kaplan-type
Plant Capacity:22 MW
Plant Annual Gen:66.8 GWh

Touvedo Dam (Portuguese: Barragem de Touvedo|links=no) is a concrete gravity dam on the Limia. It is located in the municipality Ponte da Barca e Arcos de Valdevez, in Viana do Castelo District, Portugal.

Construction of the dam began in 1987. The dam was completed in 1993. It is owned by Companhia Portuguesa de Produção de Electricidade (CPPE). The dam is used for power generation, irrigation and flood control.

Dam

Touvedo Dam is a 42.5 m tall (height above foundation) and 133.5 m long gravity dam with a crest altitude of 55 m. The volume of the dam is 74,620 m³. The spillway with 3 cradial gates is part of the dam body (maximum discharge 3,200 m³/s). There is also a bottom outlet which can discharge up to 50 m³/s.

Reservoir

At full reservoir level of 50 m the reservoir of the dam has a surface area of 1.72 km² and a total capacity of 15.5 mio. m³. The active capacity is 4.5 (4.0) mio. m³. Minimum operating level is 47.5 m.

The reservoir of Touvedo Dam serves as lower reservoir for the Alto Lindoso pumped-storage power plant.

Power plant

The hydroelectric power plant was commissioned in 1993. It is operated by EDP. The plant has a nameplate capacity of 22 MW. Its average annual generation is 66.8 (61, 67, or 78) GWh.

The power station contains one Kaplan turbine-generator with 22.2 MW (24 MVA) in a dam powerhouse located on the left side of the dam. The turbine rotation is 187.5 rpm. The minimum hydraulic head is 20 m, the maximum 25 m. Maximum flow per turbine is 100 m³/s.

The turbine and generator were provided by GEC-Alstom.

See also