Tocoma Dam

Tocoma Dam
Location of Tocoma Dam
Official name	Manuel Piar Hydroelectric Power Plant
Country	Venezuela
Coordinates	7°54′25″N 63°01′35″W / 7.90694°N 63.02639°W / 7.90694; -63.02639Coordinates: 7°54′25″N 63°01′35″W / 7.90694°N 63.02639°W / 7.90694; -63.02639
Status	Under construction
Construction began	2006
Opening date	2015 est.
Dam and spillways
Type of dam	Composite, rock-fill/gravity
Impounds	Caroní River
Height	65 m (213 ft)
Length	Gravity section: 360 m (1,180 ft) Rock-fill section: 1,800 m (5,906 ft) Concrete-face rock-fill section: 3,800 m (12,500 ft) [1]
Spillway capacity	28,750 m3/s (1,015,000 cu ft/s)
Reservoir
Total capacity	1,770,000,000 m3 (1,430,000 acre·ft)
Surface area	87 km2 (34 sq mi)
Normal elevation	127 m (417 ft)
Power station
Commission date	2015 est.
Hydraulic head	34.65 m (113.7 ft)
Turbines	10 x 230 MW (310,000 hp) Kaplan-type
Installed capacity	2,300 MW (3,100,000 hp)
Annual generation	12,100 GWh (44,000 TJ)

The Manuel Piar Hydroelectric Power Plant (Tocoma Dam) is under construction and it is the last hydroelectric development project in the Lower Caroní River Basin of Venezuela. The project includes the installation of 2,300 megawatts (3,100,000 hp) MW to generate an annual average energy of 12,100 gigawatt-hours (44,000 TJ). Ten Kaplan generator units, of 230 megawatts (310,000 hp), manufactured by Argentinian company IMPSA, were predicted to begin operations between 2012 and 2014.^[2] The first generator was installed but not yet commissioned in April 2012.^[3] These units had the world record as of 2012 in power generation at nominal head for Kaplan turbines. The diameter of the runner is 8.6 metres (28 ft) and nominal head is 34.65 metres (113.7 ft) with claimed output up to 232 megawatts (311,000 hp).^[4]

References