Author(s): Newton De Oliveira Carvalho
Linked Author(s):
Keywords: Sedimentology; Reservoir sedimentation; Hydrographic basin; Hydropowergeneration; Useful lifetime the reservoir; Sedimentometric network
Abstract: The analysis of the existing hydroelectric power plants in Brazil shows that, in many cases, the sedimentological studies didn’t reach the adequate extension or weren’t even made. This procedure can be partially explained by the fact that 80% of the 53000 MW installed in hydroelectrics by 1991, including the total capacity of Itaipu, are concentrated in almost 20 power plants, the reservoirs volumes of which are bigger than 1000 hm3. With the perspective of building power plants with smaller reservoirs, the sedimentation problems must increase. In this paper the case of the Mascarenhas power plant, in the Doce river, ES, operating since 1974, is being analysed. The project of sedimentological studies of the reservoir was not included. It’s shown that the problems which occur nowadays could have been forecasted during the project study, if data and technology available on that occasion had been used. The results show the importance of making sedimentological studies before the dam construction.
Year: 1999