Country South Africa Address Ladysmith, South Africa Construction began 2005 | Commission date 2016/17 (est.) Phone +27 36 342 3225 | |
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Location KwaZulu-Natal/Free State Status Partially operational; undergoing commissioning Construction cost US$3.5 billion (R25 billion) Owner(s) Eskom and CMC Impregilo Mavundla Hours Open today · 8AM–4PMMonday8AM–4PMTuesday8AM–4PMWednesday8AM–4PMThursday8AM–4PMFriday8AM–4PMSaturdayClosedSundayClosed Similar Medupi Power Station, Kusile Power Station, Majuba Power Station, Palmiet Pumped Storage S, Ankerlig Power Station | ||
Tour of ingula pumped storage scheme
The Ingula Pumped Storage Scheme (previously named Braamhoek) is 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 22 km (14 mi) southwest of Van Reenen. The pumped-storage hydroelectric scheme consists of an upper and a lower dam 4.6 kilometres (2.9 mi) apart and connected to a power station by tunnels. It was constructed by an Eskom and CMC Impregilo Mavundla Joint Venture The scheme was built at a cost of US$3.5 billion (R25 billion). Construction began in 2005 and the power station was scheduled to begin operations in late 2015, but the first two generators were not commissioned until March 2016, the third was brought into commercial operation in August 2016, and the remaining are expected by 2017.
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The pumped-storage hydroelectric plant uses water from the upper reservoir to generate electricity during the peak demand periods of the day. At night, excess power on the grid generated by conventional coal and nuclear plants is used to pump water to the upper reservoir. The upper Bedford Dam on Bedford stream, a tributary of the Wilge River, was completed in April 2011. It is a 39 m (128 ft) tall concrete-face rock-fill dam. It has a 22,400,000 m3 (18,200 acre·ft) water storage capacity of which 19,200,000 m3 (15,600 acre·ft) 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 41 m (135 ft) tall roller-compacted concrete gravity dam. It has a 26,300,000 m3 (21,300 acre·ft) water storage capacity of which 21,900,000 m3 (17,800 acre·ft) can be pumped up to the upper reservoir. A 2 km (1.2 mi) long headrace tunnel connects the upper reservoir to the underground power station which will house 4 x 333 megawatts (447,000 hp) reversible Francis pump-turbines. The elevation between the two reservoirs affords a hydraulic head (water drop) of 480 m (0.30 mi). Water from the power station is discharged down a 2.5 km (1.6 mi) long tailrace tunnel to the lower reservoir.