Drakensberg Pumped Storage Scheme

Dam in Free State & KwaZulu-Natal
28°34′23″S 29°5′13″E / 28.57306°S 29.08694°E / -28.57306; 29.08694StatusOperationalConstruction began1974Opening date1981Owner(s)EskomUpper reservoirCreatesDrieklloof DamTotal capacity32,071,000 m3 (26,000 acre⋅ft)Lower reservoirCreatesKilburn DamTotal capacity35,577,000 m3 (28,843 acre⋅ft)Power StationHydraulic head460 m (1,510 ft)Installed capacity1,000 megawatts[1]

The Drakensberg Pumped Storage Scheme is an energy storage facility built in the South African provinces of Free State and KwaZulu-Natal starting in 1974 and completed by 1981.[2]

Four dams are involved in the scheme; the Driekloof Dam (joined to the Sterkfontein Dam), the Kilburn Dam, the Woodstock Dam and the Driel Barrage. Electricity generation equipment is located between Driekloof Dam and Kilburn Dam.[3] Since the Driekloof Dam/Sterkfontein Dam also forms part of the Tugela-Vaal Water Project some of the water pumped to Driekloof Dam might end up flowing to the Vaal Dam and not be available for return to the Kilburn Dam. The Woodstock Dam and Driel Barrage are used to supply this additional water to Kilburn Dam when required.

The scheme provides for up to 27.6 gigawatt-hours (99 TJ) of electricity storage in the form of 27,000,000 cubic metres (950,000,000 cu ft) of water. The water is pumped to Driekloof during times of low national power consumption (generally over weekends) and released back into Kilburn through four 250 megawatts (340,000 hp) turbine generators in times of high electricity demand.[1]

Map of dams in the scheme

See also

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References

  1. ^ a b "Drakensberg Pumped Storage Scheme" (PDF). Eskom. October 2005. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 September 2006. Retrieved 9 November 2008.
  2. ^ "DRAKENSBERG PUMPED STORAGE SCHEME". Eskom. Archived from the original on 9 May 2008. Retrieved 9 November 2008.
  3. ^ "General Layout of Drakensberg Pumped Storage Scheme" (PDF). Eskom. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 September 2006. Retrieved 9 November 2008.

External links

  • Drakensberg Pumped Storage Scheme on the Eskom-Website
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