Palmiet Pumped Storage Scheme
Pumped storage hydroelectric plant in the Western Cape, South Africa
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Palmiet Pumped Storage Scheme consists of two 200 megawatts (270,000 hp) turbine units located 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) upstream of the Kogelberg Dam on the Palmiet River near Cape Town, South Africa.[2] The pumped-storage hydroelectricity plant is capable of responding to a surge in peak power demand in minutes.[3] At night, excess power on the grid generated by conventional coal and nuclear plants is used to pump water to the upper Rockview Dam overlooking Gordon's Bay.
| Palmiet Pumped Storage Scheme | |
|---|---|
Dam and tower of the Palmiet Pumped Storage Scheme seen from the Palmiet River | |
  Palmiet Pumped Storage Scheme Location of Palmiet Pumped Storage Scheme in South Africa | |
| Location | Western Cape |
| Coordinates | 34.19782°S 18.97407°E |
| Status | Operational |
| Opening date | 1988 |
| Operator | Eskom |
| Upper reservoir | |
| Creates | Rockview Dam |
| Total capacity | 3 100 000 m3[1] |
| Lower reservoir | |
| Creates | Kogelberg Dam |
| Power Station | |
| Installed capacity | 400 MW |
It is regarded[by whom?] as a forerunner in environmental engineering. The whole Palmiet site is a conservation area and in December 1998 the area was declared a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO - the first in South Africa.
