Castaic Power Plant
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The pumped storage plant Castaic ( Castaic Power Plant, also Castaic Pumped Storage Plant ) is a pump storage power plant with seven turbine / generator units, which is operated by the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power ( LADWP ). It is among the ten largest hydroelectric power plants in the USA.
Location
Castaic pumped storage plant is about 35 km from the northern city limits of Los Angeles at the upper end of the West arm of Castaic Lake. It turns out of the water slope of the western branch of the California Aqueduct peak load current. It is a joint venture between the City of Los Angeles (Los Angeles Department of Water and Power ) and the State of California ( en: California Department of Water Resources ). The agreement between both the construction of the project was signed on September 2, 1966.
Castaic Power Plant
The Castaic Power Plant has six reversible 250 -MW machine sets ( pump-turbines ) with generators and a conventional 55 MW auxiliary machine. By comparison, the largest generator on the Hoover Dam makes 130 MW. The continuous output of the power plant is 1247 megawatts ( nominal installed capacity is higher [ 1500 MW], but if the machines are running under full power, they are slowed down by friction losses in the water supply ). The 55 MW unit ( Unit 7 ) was taken in February 1972 in operation. This unit also serves as a jump start for the six pump-turbines. The first of which went into operation in 1973. Unit 6, the last, went into service in 1978. Electricity is generated with 18,000 volts and re-clamped to 230,000 volts to be distributed to various consumer stations in Los Angeles. Each of the six 250 -MW units works both as a pump such as a turbine. Each pump has a power of 235 kW, if she / s pumped with a flow rate of 65 m³.
Pumped storage operation
Pumping Vorbecken which is separated from the main reservoir by a dam, works in conjunction with the pump memory operation. This ensures the availability of at least 12.3 million cubic meters of water that can be pumped with excess energy in the Pyramid Lake back. The pumping operation provides additional water for power generation on the cash flow from the aqueduct available. The City of Los Angeles needs electricity for peak demand 3-6 hours a day in winter up to 6-10 hours a day in the summer, depending on climate conditions. The water from the State Aqueduct is cached in times of low consumption at altitude in Pyramid Lake. This water can be conducted in a short time through the turbines to cover peak demand immediately.
The Castaic Dam
The Castaic Dam is the dam on the lower reservoir, it stands at the city Castaic (California ) and is a 100 m high and 1600 m long Erdschüttdamm with two-sided surfaces of stones to prevent erosion. Even if the dam Castaic Creek dams to Castaic Lake, Castaic Creek provides little water. The lake is the conclusion of the West Branch of the California Aqueduct as part of the California State Water Project. The dam was built by the State of California and completed in 1973. The reservoir stores drinking water for the western part of the Greater Los Angeles Area. At the foot of Castaic Dam still stands a little extra water power plant. The so-called Foothill Feeder provides 11 MW.
Unterbecken Castaic Lake
The water from the Castaic Power Plant flows into the Elderberry Lake ( a pumping forebay ), from which it can be released into Castaic Lake, which is dammed by the Castaic Dam. The Castaic Lake has a water surface area of 9 square kilometers and a storage capacity of 400 million m³. He has a normal maximum water level of 459 meters above the sea. The amount of water in the lake varies with the water supply needs in the western branch of the State Aqueduct.
Upper basin of Pyramid Lake
The Pyramid Lake has a water surface of 5.58 km ² and a storage capacity of 222 million cubic meters with a maximum water level of 786 meters above the sea. The Pyramid Lake is the upper basin of Castaic pumped storage plant. The power plant is connected to the Pyramid Lake by a 11.5 km long tunnel with a diameter of 9 m. Within this, the pressure tubes in which the water flows at a height of 323 m to the power plant.
Water Castle
The water castle, an important part of the hydroelectric plant, located at the southern end of the tunnel Angeles. You can see it from the Templin Highway, and it is often mistaken for a water tank. It has a diameter of 37 m and a height of 122 m, of which 49 m are visible above ground. The container is adapted to receive pressure from the studs and pressure tubes when the power plant is shut down and the lines are closed quickly, a pressure surge occurs. It also serves to provide the turbines at the Quick Start water available before the water in the 11 km long tunnel Los Angeles can put in motion.