Ingula Pumped Storage Scheme
The Ingula Pumped Storage Scheme is a pumped-storage power station in the escarpment of the Little Drakensberg range straddling the border of the KwaZulu-Natal and Free State provinces, South Africa. It is about North-East of Van Reenen.
Design
The pumped-storage hydroelectric scheme consists of an upper and a lower dam apart and is connected to a power station by tunnels.The power station uses 4 Francis pump turbines rated at 333 MW each, giving it a total rating of 1332 MW installed capacity.
Construction
Notable contractors included CMC Impregilo Mavundla Joint Venture and Concor on the dams.The scheme was built at a cost of US$3.5 billion.
Construction began in 2005 and the power station was scheduled to begin operations in late 2015.
- The first two generators were commissioned March 2016.
- The third generator was brought into commercial operation in August 2016.
- The fourth and final one in January 2017.
Detailed breakdown
- The upper Bedford Dam on Bedford stream, a tributary of the Wilge River, was completed in April 2011. It is a tall concrete-face rock-fill dam. It has a water storage capacity of which can be used for power generation.
- The lower Bramhoek Dam on Bramhoek stream, a tributary of the Klip River, was completed in November 2011. It is a tall roller-compacted concrete gravity dam. It has a water storage capacity of which can be pumped up to the upper reservoir.
- A long headrace tunnel connects the upper reservoir to the underground power station which houses 4 x reversible Francis pump-turbines. The elevation between the two reservoirs affords a hydraulic head of.
- Water from the power station is discharged down a long tailrace tunnel to the lower reservoir.
Storage capacity