Wendefurth Power Station (german: Pumpspeicherwerk Wendefurth) is a

pumped-storage hydroelectric 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 station on the reservoir of the Wendefurth Dam near

Wendefurth Wendefurth is a hamlet in central Germany that, since 1 July 2009, has been part of the borough of Thale district of Harz. Previously it belonged to the municipality of Altenbrak which was incorporated into Thale. Geographical location The hamle ...

in the

Harz mountains The Harz () is a highland area in northern Germany. It has the highest elevations for that region, and its rugged terrain extends across parts of Lower Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, and Thuringia. The name ''Harz'' derives from the Middle High German ...

of central

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...

. The power station has an upper reservoir on the mountain top which stores the water.''Pumpspeicherwerk Wendefurth''
at www.ipernity.com. Accessed on 15 Apr 2011. The two

penstocks 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 ...

have a diameter of . The two installed

Francis pump 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 proc ...

s can deliver 80 MW. the plant has since its commissioning in 1967 produced 4,105 GWh, corresponding to an average annual production of 91 GWh.

Gallery

File:Oberbecken_pumpspeicherwerk_wendefurth.jpg, View over the upper basin File:Harz Talsperre-Wendefurth.jpg, Penstocks File:Pumpspeicherwerk Wendefurth Einstein.jpg, Penstocks File:Pumpspeicherwerk_Wendefurth_Turbinenhalle_1.JPG, Turbine hall File:Pumpspeicherwerk_Wendefurth_Turbinenhalle_2.JPG, Turbine hall File:Pumpspeicherwerk_Wendefurth_Turbinenhalle_3.JPG, Turbine hall File:Pumpspeicherwerk_Wendefurth_Turbinenhalle_4.JPG, Turbine hall

References

External links

''Das Pumpspeicherwerk Wendefurth''
at www.ruebeland.com. Description and map. {{in lang, de Energy infrastructure completed in 1967 Dams in the Harz Buildings and structures in Harz (district) Hydroelectric power stations in Germany Pumped-storage hydroelectric power stations in Germany