Picote Dam
Picote Dam (Portuguese: Barragem de Picote) is a concrete arch dam on the Douro, located in the municipality Miranda do Douro, in Bragança District, Portugal.
| Picote Dam | |
|---|---|
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![]() Location of Picote Dam in Portugal | |
| Official name | Barragem de Picote |
| Location | municipality Miranda do Douro, Bragança District, Portugal |
| Coordinates | 41°22′41.9″N 6°21′5.7″W |
| Purpose | Power |
| Status | Operational |
| Construction began | 1953 |
| Opening date | 1958 |
| Owner(s) | Companhia Portuguesa de Produção de Electricidade |
| Dam and spillways | |
| Type of dam | Concrete arch dam |
| Impounds | Douro |
| Height | 100 m (330 ft) |
| Length | 139 metres (456 ft) |
| Elevation at crest | 480 m (1,570 ft) |
| Width (crest) | 3.45 m (11.3 ft) |
| Dam volume | 205,000 m3 (7,200,000 cu ft) |
| Spillway type | Controlled, dam face |
| Spillway capacity | 11,000 m3/s (390,000 cu ft/s) |
| Reservoir | |
| Total capacity | 63,000,000 m3 (51,000 acre⋅ft) |
| Active capacity | 13,430,000 m3 (10,890 acre⋅ft) |
| Catchment area | 63,750 km2 (24,610 sq mi) |
| Surface area | 2.44 km2 (0.94 sq mi) |
| Power Station | |
| Operator(s) | Energias de Portugal |
| Commission date | Picote I: 1958 Picote II: 2011 |
| Hydraulic head | Picote I: 74 m (243 ft) (max) Picote II: 74 m (243 ft) (static) |
| Turbines | Picote I: 3 x 65 MW Francis-type Picote II: 1 x 246 MW Francis-type |
| Installed capacity | Picote I: 195 Picote II: 246 MW |
| Annual generation | Picote I: 868.6 Picote II: 244 GWh |
Construction of the dam began in 1953. The dam was completed in 1958. It is owned by Companhia Portuguesa de Produção de Electricidade (CPPE).[1] Picote Dam was the first dam constructed by Portugal on the Douro.[2]
Dam
Picote Dam is a 100 m tall (height above foundation) and 139 m long arch dam with a crest altitude of 480 m. The volume of the dam is 205,000 m³. The spillway is located on its crest and is controlled by four tainter gates. It has a maximum discharge of 11,000 m3/s (390,000 cu ft/s) while one bottom outlet can discharge up to 600 m3/s (21,000 cu ft/s).[1]
Reservoir
At full reservoir level of 471 m (maximum flood level of 478 m) the reservoir of the dam (Portuguese: Albufeira da Barragem de Picote) has a surface area of 2.44 km² and its total capacity is 63 mio. m³ (active capacity 13.43 mio. m³).[1]
Power plant Picote I
The power plant Picote I is a run-of-the-river hydroelectric power station with a nameplate capacity of 195 MW.[1][3][4] Its average annual generation is 868,6 (838,[2] 941,[3] or 1,038[1]) GWh. The power station contains three 65 MW Francis turbine-generators in an underground powerhouse.[2][5][6]
The minimum hydraulic head is 63 m, the maximum 74 m. Maximum flow per turbine is 117 m³/s.[5]
Power plant Picote II
In March 2007 construction began on the Picote II hydroelectric power plant. In December 2011 work on an additional underground powerhouse was completed and a further turbine with 246 MW went online. Its average annual generation is 244 GWh.[7]
References
- "PICOTE DAM". APA Barragens de Portugal. Retrieved 2015-02-03.
- "DECLARAÇÃO AMBIENTAL 2012" (PDF) (in Portuguese). Energias de Portugal. p. 38 (36). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-11-03. Retrieved 2015-02-03.
- "Hidroelectricidade em Portugal memória e desafio" (PDF) (in Portuguese). Rede Eléctrica Nacional, S.A. (REN). p. 29 (27). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2021-06-27. Retrieved 2015-02-03.
- "Picote Hydroelectric Power Plant Portugal". Global Energy Observatory. Retrieved 2015-02-03.
- "Picote Informação Técnica" (in Portuguese). Energias de Portugal. Archived from the original on 2014-11-10. Retrieved 2015-02-03.
- "Alstom in Portugal" (PDF). Alstom. p. 7. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 January 2015. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
- "Picote II Informação Técnica" (in Portuguese). Energias de Portugal. Archived from the original on 2014-11-10. Retrieved 2015-02-03.

