Escaldes Hydroelectric Power Station is located in

Engolasters Engolasters () is a village in Andorra, located in the parish of Escaldes-Engordany. It is located approximately 2 kilometres east of the capital Andorra la Vella Andorra la Vella french: Andorre-la-Vieille is the capital (political), capita ...

of the

Encamp Encamp () is one of the parishes of Andorra, located on the Valira d'Orient river. It is also the name of the main town in the parish. Other settlements include Vila, El Pas de la Casa, Grau Roig, El Tremat, La Mosquera and Les Bons. As of 2004 ...

parish in

Andorra , image_flag = Flag of Andorra.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Andorra.svg , symbol_type = Coat of arms , national_motto = la, Virtus Unita Fortior, label=none (Latin)"United virtue is stro ...

. Its namesake,

Les Escaldes Les Escaldes () or Escaldes is an urban area in Escaldes-Engordany parish, Andorra. It is located near the nation's capital, Andorra la Vella. Overview The name ''Les Escaldes'' comes from the presence of numerous hot springs, which produce high ...

, is located just to the south in

Escaldes-Engordany Escaldes-Engordany () is one of the 7 parishes of Andorra. The Escaldes-Engordany parish was founded on 14 June 1978 and has the second largest population after Andorra la Vella. The parish is composed of the areas of les Escaldes, Engordany, Els V ...

parish. It uses water from

Lake Engolasters Lake Engolasters, in the Encamp parish of Andorra, is an oblong shaped lake at an elevation of . formed in a glacial depression. It is located close to Andorra La Vella, the capital of Andorra. The lake water is deep blue and is drained by a drai ...

, located above sea level in order to generate

hydroelectricity Hydroelectricity, or hydroelectric power, is Electricity generation, 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 Renewabl ...

. A long

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 ...

deliver water from the long Engolasters Dam to the power station which contains two 14 MW and one 17 MW

Pelton turbine The Pelton wheel or Pelton Turbine is an impulse-type water turbine invented by American inventor Lester Allan Pelton in the 1870s. The Pelton wheel extracts energy from the impulse of moving water, as opposed to water's dead weight like the trad ...

-generators. The difference in elevation between the lake and power station is about . In 1929 the

General Council General council may refer to: In education: * General Council (Scottish university), an advisory body to each of the ancient universities of Scotland * General Council of the University of St Andrews, the corporate body of all graduates and senio ...

of Andorra granted Forces Andorranes Societat Anonima (FASA), a Spanish and French-owned company, the ability to develop the country for hydroelectric power. In return, FASA would construct roads various highways connecting to Andorra in return for exporting the energy. Construction of the power station and Engolasters Dam began in 1930 and the power station with two 14 MW generators was commissioned in August 1934. Beginning in 2007, a third Pelton turbine-generator was added to the station. At 17 MW, it was commissioned in 2008.

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*{{Commonscat-inline Dams completed in 1934 Masonry dams Hydroelectric power stations in Andorra Energy infrastructure completed in 1934 1934 establishments in Andorra