Movuazen Dam in Switzerland Bashny.Net

Between the high mountains Grand Combin (4314m) and La Ruinette (3875m) in the beautiful valley of Bagnes (Bagnes Valley) is the dam Movuazen. At the height of the dam is the second in Switzerland and eighth in the world.
30 photos

1. The height of the dam 250m, 520m length of the ridge.

The dam is part of a cascade of hydroelectric diversion structures, total capacity 363 MW. Her mission - to create a large water reservoir, in other words, the reservoir from which water is supplied by the diversion to two hydroelectric plants - Fionnay (Fionnay) and Riddes (Riddes).

2. Scheme.

First, the water from the lake flows to Movuazen three Francis turbines for hydroelectric units Fionnay station whose capacity amounting to 138 MW. Vertical drop forms a head height of 482 meters. The water then goes to the station Riddes where falling from a height of 1014 meters, spins a turbine bucket of five hydroelectric units with a total capacity of 225 MW. Together, the two power plants produce 943 million kilowatt-hours per year.

Despite the large size of the dam, the power stage is quite small when compared with our hydroelectric power plants. For example, the power Chirkeyskaya hydropower plant, which has a similar arch dam height of 232m, is 1000 MW, and if you remember the Sayano-Shushenskaya, which, though the highest in Russia, but 5 meters below Movuazena, its maximum capacity of 6400 MW (almost 18 times more powerful!).

So, as they say, it is important is not the size, and ability to use. Just kidding.

3. The machine of those. personnel. Employees are friendly and benevolent Movuazena

Construction of the dam began in 1951 and was completed ahead of schedule in 1957, vodhranilische been completely filled in 1958. The original height of the dam was 237 m. In 1991 to build on another 13 meters, the reason for this was the need to increase the volume of the reservoir in winter.

4. Indoor spillway, the water from which is produced during periods of high water at a rate of 107 m3 / s.

Movuazen Lake (Lac de Mauvoisin) is one of the largest reservoirs in Switzerland. The maximum volume of the lake - 211, 5 million m3, area - 208 hectares catchment area of 114 km2.

5. The lake is at an altitude of 1961 m

6. In addition to generating electricity, the dam is used for flood control, preventing floods, such as those that took place here in 1595 and 1818.

7. 1960-70 over the dam threatened as Giétro - one of the largest glaciers in the Swiss Alps, to the lake Movuazen premykayuschego. Due to possible icefalls there was a risk of overflow of the reservoir, but since 1980, the glacier began to retreat. All measures were taken to a similar will not happen again.