The Roselend Dam is an arch-buttress dam located 5 km (3 mi) east of Beaufort in the Savoie department of the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France. It is located just west and below the Cormet de Roselend mountain pass. The dam was designed by Coyne et Bellier and construction began in 1955. The reservoir began to fill in 1960, the power station was operational in 1961 and the dam complete in 1962. It was constructed for the primary purpose of hydroelectric power generation and supports the 546 MW La Bâthie Power Station.[3]

Roselend Dam
Roselend Dam is located in France
Roselend Dam
Location of Roselend Dam in France
Official nameBarrage de Roselend
CountryFrance
LocationBeaufort
Coordinates45°41′03″N 6°37′18″E / 45.68417°N 6.62167°E / 45.68417; 6.62167
StatusOperational
Construction began1955
Opening date1962
Dam and spillways
Type of damArch-buttress dam
Height150 m (492 ft)
Length804 m (2,638 ft)
Width (crest)3 m (10 ft)
Width (base)22 m (72 ft)
Dam volume945,000 m3 (1,236,013 cu yd)
Reservoir
CreatesLac de Roselend
Total capacity187,000,000 m3 (151,603 acre⋅ft)
Catchment area44 km2 (17 sq mi)
Surface area3.2 km2 (1 sq mi)
Normal elevation1,557 m (5,108 ft)[1]
La Bâthie Power Station
Coordinates45°38′41″N 6°26′40″E / 45.64472°N 6.44444°E / 45.64472; 6.44444
Commission date1962
TypeConventional, diversion
Hydraulic head1,250 m (4,101 ft)[2]
Turbines6 x 91 MW Pelton-type
Installed capacity546 MW

Design and operation edit

The dam has a maximum height of 150 m (492 ft) and a length of 804 m (2,638 ft). It is 3 m (10 ft) wide at its crest and 22 m (72 ft) wide at its base. The dam has a structural volume of 945,000 m3 (1,236,013 cu yd). Its reservoir, Lac de Roselend, can store 187,000,000 m3 (151,603 acre⋅ft) of water and has a surface area of 3.2 km2 (1 sq mi). Directly over the river bed is the dam's concrete arch with a 215 m (705 ft) radius. Flanking it on either side are concrete buttresses supporting the dam wall.[4][5] Water from the dam is transferred west via a 13 km (8 mi) long penstock to the underground power station in La Bâthie. At the power station, the water feeds six 91 MW Pelton turbine-generators. The difference in elevation between the power station and reservoir affords a hydraulic head (drop) of 1,250 m (4,101 ft).[6] Water from the St. Guerin Dam, 5 km (3 mi) to the southwest at 45°39′00″N 6°34′46″E / 45.65000°N 6.57944°E / 45.65000; 6.57944 (St. Guerin Dam) and Gittaz Dam, 4.5 km (3 mi) to the northeast at 45°42′40″N 6°38′46″E / 45.71111°N 6.64611°E / 45.71111; 6.64611 (Gittaz Dam), provide additional water to Lac de Roselend as well.[3][7]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Bathie (La) Hydroelectric Power Station". Global Energy Observatory. Retrieved 16 March 2012.
  2. ^ "Roselend dam" (in French). Hydrelect. Retrieved 16 March 2012.
  3. ^ a b "Roselend" (PDF). The Sunflower Project. Retrieved 16 March 2012.
  4. ^ "Roselend Dam". Structurae. Retrieved 16 March 2012.
  5. ^ "Roselend" (in French). French Committee on Large Dams. Archived from the original on 27 April 2012. Retrieved 16 March 2012.
  6. ^ "Roselend near Albertville in Savoie (1960)" (in French). Planete-TP. 9 October 2007. Retrieved 16 March 2012.
  7. ^ "Hydroelectric Plants in France - Rhône-Alpes". IndustCards. Retrieved 16 March 2012.