Devils Gate Power Station
The Devils Gate Power Station is a conventional hydroelectric power station located in north-western Tasmania, Australia. The dam is 84 metres (276 ft) high. It is one of the thinnest concrete arch dams in the world.[2]
| Devils Gate Dam | |
|---|---|
 The Devils Gate Dam double arch wall | |
  Location of the Devils Gate Dam in Tasmania | |
| Country | Australia |
| Location | North-western Tasmania |
| Coordinates | 41°21′1″S 146°15′48″E |
| Purpose | Power |
| Status | Operational |
| Opening date | 1969 |
| Owner(s) | Hydro Tasmania |
| Dam and spillways | |
| Type of dam | Arch dam |
| Impounds | Forth River |
| Height | 84 metres (276 ft) |
| Length | 134 metres (440 ft) |
| Dam volume | 31 thousand cubic metres (1.1×106 cu ft) |
| Spillways | 1 |
| Spillway type | Uncontrolled |
| Spillway capacity | 2,040 cubic metres per second (72,000 cu ft/s) |
| Reservoir | |
| Creates | Lake Barrington |
| Total capacity | 179,940 megalitres (6,355×106 cu ft) |
| Catchment area | 742 square kilometres (286 sq mi) |
| Surface area | 66.5 hectares (164 acres) |
| Devils Gate Power Station | |
| Operator(s) | Hydro Tasmania |
| Commission date | 1969 |
| Type | Conventional |
| Hydraulic head | 68 metres (223 ft) |
| Turbines | 1 x 63 MW (84,000 hp) Boving Francis turbine |
| Installed capacity | 63 megawatts (84,000 hp) |
| Capacity factor | 0.8 |
| Annual generation | 314 gigawatt-hours (1,130 TJ) |
| Website hydro | |
| [1] | |
Technical details
Part of the Mersey–Forth scheme that comprises seven hydroelectric power stations, the Devils Gate Power Station is the sixth station in the run-of-river scheme. The power station is located below the double-arched concrete Devils Gate Dam which forms Lake Barrington. Water from the lake is fed to the power station by a 150-metre (490 ft) single penstock tunnel.[3][4]
The power station was commissioned in 1969 by the Hydro Electric Corporation and has one Boving Francis turbine, with a generating capacity of 63 megawatts (84,000 hp) of electricity. The station output, estimated to be 314 gigawatt-hours (1,130 TJ) annually,[1] is fed to TasNetworks' transmission grid via an 11 kV/110 kV Siemens generator transformer to the outdoor switchyard.[5]
Recreation
Lake Barrington is a world-famous rowing venue that hosted the 1990 World Rowing Championships.
Engineering heritage
The dam received a Historic Engineering Marker from Engineers Australia as part of its Engineering Heritage Recognition Program.[2]
References
- "Register of Large Dams in Australia". Dams information. Australian National Committee on Large Dams. 2010. Archived from the original (Excel (requires download)) on 12 December 2013. Retrieved 23 June 2015.
- "Devils Gate Dam, Forth River, 1969-". Engineers Australia. Retrieved 27 April 2020.
- "Mersey - Forth". Energy. Hydro Tasmania. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
- "Devils Gate Dam". Engineers Australia.
- "Devils Gate Power Station: Mersey-Forth Catchment" (PDF). Hydro Tasmania. Archived (PDF) from the original on 26 June 2023. Retrieved 26 June 2023.