Underground power station

An underground power station is a hydroelectric power plant, in which the machinery (turbines, pumps, generators, transformers, etc. ) in a blasted into the rock cavity ( cavern ) are installed. This design does not require power house.

The water supply lines and discharge lines of an underground power plant usually run entirely underground as tunnels in the rock or as pipelines.

This power plant accommodation is often chosen where not enough space is available ( in narrow valleys ). In addition, for environmental reasons, so as not to affect the landscape or prevent noise emissions. Technically, underground power plants often have the advantage that they can be positioned much lower than the underwater pool and by the higher pressure in the pressure and cavitation is minimized in the intake manifold.

The first underground power station in the world located at Snoqualmie in Washington state and went into operation in 1898. The first underground hydroelectric power plants in Germany followed in 1912 in the Samson mine in the Harz and 1914 in the three- brothers Bay in Saxony, the latter as the first power plant of this kind used an underground storage space.

List of underground power plants

In Germany:

  • In three- brothers - bay shut down train at Freiberg (Saxony ), 1972
  • In pumped storage power plant Goldisthal ( 1060 MW)
  • In pumped storage power plant markers Bach (1050 MW)
  • In the power plant weir at the Wehra on Wehrastausee in the Black Forest (Baden- Württemberg)
  • In pumped storage power plant Waldeck II ( 480 MW) at the Eder Lake on Affolderner in ( North Hesse )
  • Am Rhein, underground power station Bad Säckingen
  • In the pit Samson, Saint Andreas mountain in the Upper Harz

In Austria:

  • St. Martin 11 MW, full operation since 1965, the province of Styria
  • Kopswerk I 247 MW, full operation since 1970, the province of Vorarlberg
  • Kops II 450 MW, full operation since 2008, the province of Vorarlberg
  • Limberg II ( Kaprun ) 480 MW, full operation since 2011, the province of Salzburg
  • Reißeck 2, 430 MW, full operation gepl. 2014 Carinthia

In Switzerland:

  • Within churches I 235 MW, full operation since 1943, the canton of Bern
  • Grimsel II 344 MW, full operation since 1980, the canton of Bern
  • Innerferrera 185 MW, full operation since 1963, the canton of Graubünden

In New Zealand:

  • Manapouri 850 MW, after renovation and expansion August 2007, first commissioning in 1969

In Norway:

  • Sima power plant in the municipality of Eidfjord

In Peru:

  • Cañón del Pato 260 MW, in the Ancash region in the northeastern Andes
Samson Pit Water turbine Snoqualmie, Washington Washington (state) Goldisthal Pumped Storage Station Markersbach Pumped Storage Power Plant Innertkirchen Grimselpass Sima Hydroelectric Power Station
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