Saucelle Dam

Dam in Salamanca, Castile and León

41°2′50.05″N 6°48′14.69″W / 41.0472361°N 6.8040806°W / 41.0472361; -6.8040806PurposePowerStatusOperationalConstruction began1950Opening date1956; 68 years ago (1956)Dam and spillwaysType of damGravityImpoundsDouro RiverHeight83 m (272 ft)Length189 m (620 ft)Dam volume233,560 m³ (305,480 cu yd)Spillway capacity12,940 m³/s (457,000 cu ft/s)ReservoirTotal capacity181,500,000 m³ (147,100 acre⋅ft)Catchment area73,715 km² (28,462 sq mi)Operator(s)IberdrolaCommission dateSaucelle I: 1956
Saucelle II: 1985TurbinesSaucelle I: 4 x 62.5 MW
Saucelle II: 2 x 134.5 MW Francis-typeInstalled capacitySaucelle I: 251 MW
Saucelle II: 269 MW
Total: 520 MW

The Saucelle Dam is a gravity dam on the Douro River. It is located about 4 km (2.5 mi) west of Saucelle in the province of Salamanca, Castile and León, Spain. The dam straddles the border of Spain and Portugal but is owned and operated by Spain's Iberdrola. Construction on the dam began in 1950 and was completed in 1956.^[1] The primary purpose of the dam is hydroelectric power production and it has an installed capacity of 520 MW. The power is produced by two power stations, both located just downstream. Saucelle I was commissioned in 1956 and contains four 62.5 MW Francis turbine-generators for an installed capacity of 251 MW. Saucelle II is located underground and was commissioned in 1985. It contains two 134.5 MW Francis turbine-generators for an installed capacity of 269 MW.^[2]^[3]

References

^ "Dam: Saucelle" (in Spanish). Seprem. Retrieved 17 February 2015.
^ "Saucelle Hydroelectric Power Plant Spain". Global Energy Observatory. Retrieved 17 February 2015.
^ "Main hydroelectric power plants". Iberdrola. Retrieved 17 February 2015.