Country Poland Status Operational Upper reservoir Upper Żarnowiec | Location Żarnowiec Commission date 1983 Construction began 1976 | |
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Owner(s) PGE Polish Energy Group Similar Solina Dam, Kaszubskie Oko, Zagroda Wiejska Filia Muz, Gdańsk Power Station, Bełchatów Power Station | ||
The Żarnowiec Pumped Storage Power Station is located about 7 km (4.3 mi) south of Żarnowiec in Puck County, northern Poland. The 680 MW pumped-storage power station was constructed between 1976 and 1983. The power station was modernized between 2007 and 2011 and the upper reservoir was reconstructed in 2006. It is the largest hydroelectric power station in Poland. It uses four 170 MW Francis pump turbines to send water from its lower reservoir, Lake Żarnowiec, up to an upper reservoir for storage. During periods of high power demand, the water is release back down to the turbines to produce power. Water is pumped back up during periods of low power demand, such as night time. The power station was intended to be a load-balancer for Żarnowiec Nuclear Power Plant which was supposed to be constructed on the opposite side of Lake Żarnowiec.