Żarnowiec Pumped Storage Power Station

The Żarnowiec Pumped Storage Power Station is a pumped-storage power station located about 7 km (4.3 mi) south of Żarnowiec, in Puck County, northern Poland. It was constructed between 1973 and 1983 and underwent a modernisation between 2007 and 2011, with the upper reservoir reconstructed in 2006.[4]

Żarnowiec Pumped Storage Power Station
Penstocks connecting the upper and lower reservoirs
CountryPoland
LocationCzymanowo
Coordinates54°43′20.18″N 18°04′56.48″E / 54.7222722°N 18.0823556°E / 54.7222722; 18.0823556
StatusOperational
Construction began1973
Opening date1983
Owner(s)PGE Polska Grupa Energetyczna
Upper reservoir
CreatesUpper Żarnowiec
Total capacity16,445,000 m3 (13,332 acre⋅ft)[1]
Lower reservoir
CreatesLake Żarnowiec
Total capacity124,000,000 m3 (101,000 acre⋅ft)[2]
Power Station
Hydraulic head119.3 m (391 ft)
Turbines4 x 170 MW reversible Francis turbines[3]
Installed capacity680 MW

With a capacity of 680 MW, it is the largest hydroelectric power station in Poland. It uses four 170 MW Francis pump-turbines to send water from its lower reservoir, Lake Żarnowiec, up to an upper reservoir for storage. During periods of high power demand, the water is released back down to the turbines to produce power. Water is pumped back up during periods of low power demand, such as night time. The power station was originally intended to be a load balancer for Żarnowiec Nuclear Power Plant which was supposed to be constructed on the opposite side of Lake Żarnowiec.[5]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Hydroelectric Żarnowiec - modernization of the upper reservoir" (in Polish). PGE Polish Energy Group. Retrieved 21 February 2014.
  2. ^ "Decrease of faunal diversity in a disturbed lake, as exemplified by Tanytarsini chironomids (Diptera: Chironomidae) of Jezioro śarnowieckie" (PDF). FRAGMENTA FAUNISTICA. MUSEUM AND INSTITUTE OF ZOOLOGY PAS. Retrieved 21 February 2014.
  3. ^ "Pumped-Storage Hydroelectric Plants in Poland". IndustCards. Retrieved 21 February 2014.
  4. ^ "Hydro Power Plants". Energoprojekt Warszawa S.A. Retrieved 21 February 2014.
  5. ^ "Żarnowiec Pumped Storage". DOE Global Energy Storage Database. Retrieved 21 February 2014.