Coca Codo Sinclair Dam
The Coca Codo Sinclair Dam is a hydroelectric dam in Ecuador. It is located on the Coca River in Napo Province, 100 kilometres (62 mi) east of Quito.[1][2] It is the largest energy project in Ecuador.[1] The dam was constructed by Sinohydro Corporation for $2.25 billion.[3]
| Coca Codo Sinclair Dam | |
|---|---|
 | |
  Location of Coca Codo Sinclair Dam in Ecuador | |
| Country | Ecuador |
| Location | El Reventador |
| Coordinates | 0°08′17″S 77°27′11″W |
| Status | Operational |
| Construction began | 2010 |
| Opening date | 2016 |
| Construction cost | US$2.6 billion |
| Built by | Sinohydro-Andes JV |
| Dam and spillways | |
| Type of dam | Concrete-face rock-fill |
| Impounds | Coca River |
| Height (foundation) | 31.8 m (104 ft) |
| Length | 160 m (520 ft) |
| Commission date | 2016 |
| Hydraulic head | 620 m (2,030 ft) |
| Turbines | 8 x 187.5 MW Pelton turbines |
| Installed capacity | 1,500 MW (2,000,000 hp) |
The plant became fully operational in November 2016.[4] It has a capacity of 1,500 megawatts.[3][5]
Funding of dam
Over the years, China provided $19 billion in the form of loans to Ecuador for the construction of "bridges, highways, irrigation, schools, health clinics and a half dozen dams" as well as the Coca Codo Sinclair dam.[2] According to an article in The New York Times, Ecuador repays its debt to China by providing China with oil "at a discount". By 2018, this meant that China kept 80 percent of oil produced in Ecuador. The loan from China’s Export-Import Bank for the Coca Codo Sinclair Dam amounts to $1.7 billion with an interest rate of 7% interest over 15 years which is $125 million a year in interest alone.[2]
Post construction
In December 2018, 7,648 large and small cracks were identified in the generator hall and in surrounding equipment.[2] The cracks were first discovered in 2014 but the full extent of them is unknown as a thorough assessment would include deconstructing portions of the power plant which is cost prohibitive.[6]
After the dam became operational, its reservoir caused regressive erosion upstream and water absent of sediment released from the dam has caused high rates of erosion downstream which likely led to two oil spills after pipelines along the river lost their footings. Downstream erosion, if left unchecked would undermine the dam and other oil infrastructure by 2022.[7] Additionally, the erosion has also destroyed Ecuador’s largest waterfall and is destroying the village of San Luis.[8]
References
- "Coca Codo Sinclair Hydroelectric Project". power-technology.com. Retrieved 24 December 2018.
- Casey, Nicholas; Krauss, Clifford (24 December 2018). "It Doesn't Matter if Ecuador Can Afford This Dam. China Still Gets Paid". The New York Times. Retrieved 24 December 2018.
- "Ecuador". International Hydropower Association. May 2017. Retrieved 2019-03-26.
- Ingram, Elizabeth (November 21, 2018). "TUV SUD to determine solutions to distributor cracks at Coca Codo Sinclair hydroelectric plant". Hydro Review. Archived from the original on 2018-12-29. Retrieved 2019-03-26.
- Harris, Michael (December 15, 2014). "At least 13 killed by collapse at Ecuador's Coca Codo Sinclair hydropower plant". Hydro Review. Archived from the original on 2019-03-27. Retrieved 2019-03-26.
- "Ecuador's largest hydroelectric plant is full of cracks; investigators blame Chinese contractor – CuencaHighLife". cuencahighlife.com. Cuenca High Life. 15 November 2018. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
- "Massive erosion likely due to hydropower dam causes oil spill on Ecuador's Coca River". Mongabay Environmental News. 6 May 2020. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
- Journal, Ryan Dube and Gabriele Steinhauser | Photographs by Isadora Romero for The Wall Street. "China's Global Mega-Projects Are Falling Apart". WSJ. Retrieved 2023-01-21.