Pracana Dam (Portuguese: Barragem de Pracana) is a concrete buttress dam on the Ocreza, a right (northern) tributary of the Tagus. It is located in the municipality Mação, in Santarém District, Portugal.

Pracana Dam
Pracana Dam is located in Portugal
Pracana Dam
Location of Pracana Dam in Portugal
Official nameBarragem de Pracana
CountryPortugal
Locationmunicipality Mação, Santarém District
Coordinates39°33′53.8″N 7°48′43.8″W / 39.564944°N 7.812167°W / 39.564944; -7.812167
PurposePower
StatusOperational
Construction began1947
Opening date1950
Owner(s)Companhia Portuguesa de Produção de Electricidade
Operator(s)Energias de Portugal
Dam and spillways
Type of damConcrete buttress dam
ImpoundsOcreza
Height (foundation)60 m (200 ft)
Length245.5 m (805 ft)
Elevation at crest115 m (377 ft)
Dam volume144,000 m3 (5,100,000 cu ft)
Spillway typeShaft and chute spillway
Spillway capacity2,560 m3/s (90,000 cu ft/s)
Reservoir
Total capacity111,900,000 m3 (90,700 acre⋅ft)
Active capacity69,000,000 m3 (56,000 acre⋅ft)
Surface area5.5 km2 (2.1 sq mi)
Normal elevation114 m (374 ft)
Operator(s)Energias de Portugal
Commission date1951
Hydraulic head57 m (187 ft) (max)
Turbines2 x 8 MW, 1 x 25 MW Francis-type
Installed capacity41 MW
Annual generation63.8 GWh

Construction of the dam began in 1947. The dam was completed in 1950. It is owned by Companhia Portuguesa de Produção de Electricidade (CPPE). The dam is used for power generation.[1]

Pracana Dam is a 60 m tall (height above foundation) and 245.5 m long buttress dam with a crest altitude of 115 m. The volume of the dam is 144,000 m³. There is one shaft spillway on the right side of the dam and a chute spillway on the left side. The combined maximum discharge is 2,560 m³/s. There is also a bottom outlet which can discharge up to 52 m³/s.[1]

Reservoir

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At full reservoir level of 114 m the reservoir of the dam has a surface area of 5.5 km² and a total capacity of 111.9 mio. m³. The active capacity is 69 (95.6[2] or 102[3]) mio. m³. Minimum operating level is 97 m.[1] With the 95.6 mio. m³ 9.8 GWh can be produced.[2]

Power plant

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The hydroelectric power plant was commissioned in 1951[4] (1950).[3] It is operated by EDP. The plant has a nameplate capacity of 41[2][4][5] (14,7[3] or 40[1]) MW. Its average annual generation is 63.8[2] (41,[3] 61.8,[1][5] or 53[4]) GWh.

The power station contains 3 Francis turbine-generators in a surface powerhouse located at the toe of the dam. The first 2 units were commissioned in 1951, the third in 1993.[4] The minimum hydraulic head is 28 m, the maximum 57 m.[2]

Unit [2] Commission date [4] Turbine (MW) Generator (MVA) Rotation Flow (m³/s)
1 1951 8 9.68 375 18
2 1951 8 9.68 375 18
3 1993 25 28.5 272.7 52

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e "PRACANA DAM". APA Barragens de Portugal. Retrieved 2015-03-18.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "Pracana Informação Técnica" (in Portuguese). Energias de Portugal. Archived from the original on 2014-11-29. Retrieved 2015-03-18.
  3. ^ a b c d "Hidroelectricidade em Portugal memória e desafio" (PDF) (in Portuguese). Rede Eléctrica Nacional, S.A. p. 30 (28). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2021-06-27. Retrieved 2015-03-13.
  4. ^ a b c d e "DECLARAÇÃO AMBIENTAL 2012" (PDF) (in Portuguese). Energias de Portugal. pp. 52 (50). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-11-03. Retrieved 2015-03-18.
  5. ^ a b "Pracana Hydroelectric Power Plant Portugal". Global Energy Observatory. Retrieved 2015-02-18.