Tocoma Dam

The Manuel Piar Hydroelectric Power Plant (Tocoma Dam) is a stalled hydroelectric development project in the Lower Caroní River Basin of Venezuela. The project, started in 2006, includes the installation of 2,320 megawatts (3,110,000 hp) MW to generate annual average energy of 12,100 gigawatt-hours (44,000 TJ). As of 2019, the project is unfinished.[3]

Tocoma Dam
Tocoma Dam is located in Venezuela
Tocoma Dam
Location of Tocoma Dam in Venezuela
Official nameManuel Piar Hydroelectric Power Plant
CountryVenezuela
Coordinates7°54′25″N 63°01′35″W
StatusOn-hold
Construction began2006
Opening dateunknown[1]
Dam and spillways
Type of damComposite, rock-fill/gravity
ImpoundsCaroní River
Height65 m (213 ft)
LengthGravity section: 360 m (1,180 ft)
Rock-fill section: 1,800 m (5,906 ft)
Concrete-face rock-fill section: 3,800 m (12,500 ft)
[2]
Spillway capacity28,750 m3/s (1,015,000 cu ft/s)
Reservoir
Total capacity1,770,000,000 m3 (1,430,000 acre⋅ft)
Surface area87 km2 (34 sq mi)
Normal elevation127 m (417 ft)
Power Station
Commission date?
Hydraulic head34.65 m (113.7 ft)
Turbines10 x 232 MW (311,000 hp) Kaplan-type
Installed capacity2,320 MW (3,110,000 hp)
Annual generation12,100 GWh (44,000 TJ)

The project was awarded to OIV consortium, consisting of Odebrecht (50%), Salini Impregilo (40%) and Vinccler (10%),[4] with an initial budget US$3,061 mil.[5] Ten Kaplan generator units, of 230 megawatts (310,000 hp), manufactured by an Argentinian company IMPSA, were predicted to begin operations between 2012 and 2014.[6] These units had the world record as of 2012 in power generation at nominal head for Kaplan turbines. The diameter of the runner is 8.6 metres (28 ft) and nominal head is 34.65 metres (113.7 ft) with claimed output up to 232 megawatts (311,000 hp).[7]

The first generator was installed but not yet commissioned in April 2012.[8] Behind schedule, the dam began to impound its reservoir on 16 November 2015.[9] The budget tripled to $9,4 billion in 2017, as of 2019 the project is still unfinished.[3] Odebrecht spent between 2007 and 2015 at least $118 million on bribes related to the project.[10][11]

References
  1. "Bloomberg: Corpoelec sostuvo reuniones con empresa argentina para reactivar Tocoma". 28 March 2019.
  2. "Tocoma Dam and Hydroelectric Power Project". Tractebel. Archived from the original on 11 November 2013. Retrieved 14 May 2012.
  3. "The Rise and Fall of Venezuela's Hydro System". Caracas Chronicles. 2019-04-04. Retrieved 2020-05-20.
  4. "New Power Plant in Venezuela". Odebrecht. 2014-07-02. Retrieved 2020-05-20.
  5. "US$ 600 millones para la Central Hidroeléctrica Manuel Piar (Tocoma) | CAF". www.caf.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 2020-05-20.
  6. VE-L1026: Manuel Piar (Tocoma) Dam Supplemental Financing. Inter-American Development Bank (Report).
  7. hydropower project Tocoma (PDF). IMPSA (Report). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2013-11-10.
  8. "IMPSA installed the first 232 MW Kaplan turbine at the Tocoma Hydropower Plant". IMPSA. 23 April 2012. Retrieved 30 January 2014.
  9. "Venezuela president Maduro oversees filling of Tocoma dam reservoir". Salini Impregilo. Retrieved 15 February 2016.
  10. "Odebrecht Reaches Settlement Agreement with IDB Group Resulting in Sanctions | IADB". www.iadb.org. Retrieved 2020-05-20.
  11. Ljubas, Zdravko. "Odebrecht Ordered to Pay Charity Because it Paid Bribes". www.occrp.org. Retrieved 2020-05-20.


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