Bemposta Dam ( pt, Barragem de Bemposta, links=no) is a

concrete Concrete is a composite material composed of fine and coarse aggregate bonded together with a fluid cement (cement paste) that hardens (cures) over time. Concrete is the second-most-used substance in the world after water, and is the most wi ...

arch dam An arch dam is a concrete dam that is curved upstream in plan. The arch dam is designed so that the force of the water against it, known as hydrostatic pressure, presses against the arch, causing the arch to straighten slightly and strengthen ...

on the

Douro The Douro (, , ; es, Duero ; la, Durius) is the highest-flow river of the Iberian Peninsula. It rises near Duruelo de la Sierra in Soria Province, central Spain, meanders south briefly then flows generally west through the north-west part of ...

, where the river forms the national border line between

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...

and

Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of ...

. It is located in the municipality

Mogadouro Mogadouro (, ) is a municipality in Portugal. The population in ''2011'' was 9,542, in an area of 760.65 km2. History The history of Mogadouro is evident in the number of castros that dot the landscape of region from the neolithic period. ...

, in

Bragança District Bragança District ( pt, Distrito de Bragança ; mwl, Çtrito de Bergáncia) is a traditional political division of Portugal, in the northeast corner bordering on Spain (Castile and Leon and Galicia), covering 7.4% of the nation's continental l ...

, Portugal. Construction of the dam began in 1957. The dam was completed in 1964. It is owned by ''Companhia Portuguesa de Produção de Electricidade'' (CPPE).

Dam

Bemposta Dam is an (height above foundation) and arch dam with a crest altitude of 408 m. The volume of the dam is 316,000 m³. The dam contains four crest

spillway A spillway is a structure used to provide the controlled release of water downstream from a dam or levee, typically into the riverbed of the dammed river itself. In the United Kingdom, they may be known as overflow channels. Spillways ensure tha ...

s (maximum discharge 11,500 m³/s) and one bottom outlet (maximum discharge 200 m³/s).

Reservoir

At full reservoir level of 402 metres the reservoir of the dam ( pt, Albufeira da Barragem de Bemposta, links=no) has a surface area of 4.05 km² and its total capacity is 129 mio. m³ (active capacity 20 mio. m³).

Power plant

The power plant is a

run-of-the-river Run-of-river hydroelectricity (ROR) or run-of-the-river hydroelectricity is a type of hydroelectric generation plant whereby little or no water storage is provided. Run-of-the-river power plants may have no water storage at all or a limited amou ...

hydroelectric Hydroelectricity, or hydroelectric power, is electricity generated from hydropower (water power). Hydropower supplies one sixth of the world's electricity, almost 4500 TWh in 2020, which is more than all other renewable sources combined and ...

power station. It is owned by CPPE, but operated by EDP.

Bemposta I

Bemposta I has a

nameplate capacity Nameplate capacity, also known as the rated capacity, nominal capacity, installed capacity, or maximum effect, is the intended full-load sustained output of a facility such as a power station,

of 240 (210) MW. Its average annual generation is 924.1 (918, 1,034 or 1,086)

GWh A kilowatt-hour (unit symbol: kW⋅h or kW h; commonly written as kWh) is a unit of energy: one kilowatt of power for one hour. In terms of SI derived units with special names, it equals 3.6 megajoules (MJ). Kilowatt-hours are a common bil ...

. The power station contains three

Francis turbine The Francis turbine is a type of water turbine. It is an inward-flow reaction turbine that combines radial and axial flow concepts. Francis turbines are the most common water turbine in use today, and can achieve over 95% efficiency. The proces ...

-generators with 79.5 (70) MW each in an

underground powerhouse An underground power station is a type of hydroelectric power station constructed by excavating the major components (e.g. machine hall, penstocks, and tailrace) from rock, rather than the more common surface-based construction methods. One or mor ...

. The turbine rotation is 150 rpm. The minimum

hydraulic head Hydraulic head or piezometric head is a specific measurement of liquid pressure above a vertical datum., 410 pages. See pp. 43–44., 650 pages. See p. 22. It is usually measured as a liquid surface elevation, expressed in units of length, ...

is 59 m, the maximum 71 m. Maximum flow per turbine is 152 m³/s.

Bemposta II

In January 2008 construction began on the Bemposta II power plant. In December 2011 work on an additional underground powerhouse was completed and a further Francis turbine with a 191 MW capacity went online. Its average annual generation is 134 GWh.

References

{{Douro dams Dams in Portugal Hydroelectric power stations in Portugal Arch dams Dams completed in 1964 Energy infrastructure completed in 1964 1964 establishments in Portugal Buildings and structures in Bragança District Underground power stations Dams on the Douro River Portugal–Spain border

Dam

Reservoir

Power plant

Bemposta I

Bemposta II

See also

References