Bolarque Dam ( es, Presa de Bolarque, 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 ...

gravity dam A gravity dam is a dam constructed from concrete or stone masonry and designed to hold back water by using only the weight of the material and its resistance against the foundation to oppose the horizontal pressure of water pushing against it. ...

on the

Tagus The Tagus ( ; es, Tajo ; pt, Tejo ; see #Name, below) is the longest river in the Iberian Peninsula. The river rises in the Montes Universales near Teruel, in mid-eastern Spain, flows , generally west with two main south-westward sections ...

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 ...

, where the river forms the border between the provinces of Cuenca and

Guadalajara Guadalajara ( , ) is a metropolis in western Mexico and the capital of the list of states of Mexico, state of Jalisco. According to the 2020 census, the city has a population of 1,385,629 people, making it the 7th largest city by population in Me ...

. About 6 km downstream from the dam is the

José Cabrera Nuclear Power Station The José Cabrera Nuclear Power Station (also known as Zorita) was a nuclear power station in Almonacid de Zorita, east of Madrid, Spain. The power plant consisted of one single-loop PWR of 160 MWe, built by Zachry Construction Corporation ...

. Work on the dam began in 1907. In 1908 more than 1300 workers were employed at the construction site. The dam was officially inaugurated on June 23, 1910 by king

Alfonso XIII Alfonso XIII (17 May 1886 – 28 February 1941), also known as El Africano or the African, was King of Spain from 17 May 1886 to 14 April 1931, when the Second Spanish Republic was proclaimed. He was a monarch from birth as his father, Alfo ...

. It is owned by

Unión Fenosa ''Unión Fenosa, S.A.'' was, until its acquisition by ''Gas Natural'' in 2009, a large Spanish company dedicated to the production and distribution of gas and electricity. It installed capacity of 11,120 megawatts of power and 8.9 million custome ...

Dam

Bolarque Dam is a 36 m tall (height above foundation) and 292 m long gravity dam with a crest altitude of 643 m. The volume of the dam is 160,000 m³. The dam features a

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 ...

over the dam (maximum discharge 1,700 m³/s) and one bottom outlet (maximum discharge 70 m³/s). The initial height of the dam was 24 m; it was raised to 36 m in 1954.

Reservoir

At full reservoir level, the reservoir of the dam has a surface area of 5.1 km² and a total capacity of 30.7 mio. m³; its active capacity is 23 mio. m³.

Power plant

Bolarque I

The original

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 plant went operational in 1910. The generated power at that time was evacuated to Madrid. In 1954 the plant was closed and replaced with the actual power plant. It 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 28 MW and contains 2

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 14 MW each. The maximum

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 42 m. Maximum flow is 85 m³/s.

Bolarque II

006654 - Embalse de Bolarque (7826442472)

The

pumped-storage Pumped-storage hydroelectricity (PSH), or pumped hydroelectric energy storage (PHES), is a type of hydroelectric energy storage used by electric power systems for load balancing. The method stores energy in the form of gravitational potential ...

power plant was built between 1969 and 1974. It went on line in 1973. The plant has a nameplate capacity of 203 (208) MW. According to this source, the nameplate capacity is 208 MW when pumping and 239 MW when generating energy. The power station contains 4 reversible

-generators with 52 MW each. The maximum

is 269.5 (245) m. Maximum flow is 98.8 (99) m³/s when generating energy and 66 m³/s when pumping. Bolarque II is the starting point of the

Tagus-Segura Water Transfer The Tagus-Segura Water Transfer (Spanish language, Spanish: ''Trasvase Tajo-Segura'') is one of the largest works of hydraulic engineering ever produced in Spain. Water from the Tagus River is channeled through this Interbasin transfer, transf ...

. 2

penstock A penstock is a sluice or gate or intake structure that controls water flow, or an enclosed pipe that delivers water to hydro turbines and sewerage systems. The term is inherited from the earlier technology of mill ponds and watermills. H ...

s (length 1.025 m, diameter 3.15 to 3.45 m) link the pumped-storage power plant with the reservoir of Bujeda dam, which is used as an upper reservoir. From Bujeda reservoir water is then transferred to the reservoir of

Alarcón dam The Alarcón Dam (Spanish language, Spanish: ''Presa de Alarcón'', ''Pantano de Alarcón'', or ''Embalse de Alarcón'') is a gravity dam on the upper course of the Júcar River. It is located from Alarcón, in the Provinces of Spain, province of ...

Bolarque III

In 2010 an additional power plant with a nameplate capacity of 4.2 MW was opened.

External links

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bolarque Dam Dams in Spain Hydroelectric power stations in Spain Gravity dams Dams completed in 1910 Energy infrastructure completed in 1910 1910 establishments in Spain Buildings and structures in the Province of Cuenca Buildings and structures in the Province of Guadalajara Energy in Castilla–La Mancha

Dam