Yaté Dam

The Yaté Dam is an arch dam on the Yaté River in Yaté commune of New Caledonia, France. The primary purpose of the dam is hydroelectric power generation and it supports a 68 MW power station. Plans for the project began in the early 1950s and the dam was designed by Coyne et Bellier. The owner and operator of the project, New Caledonian Society Energy (ENERCAL), was established on 27 August 1955 to implement the project. Construction began that year and the power station was commissioned in 1958. The dam and entire scheme was inaugurated by Jacques Soustelle, then Minister of State in charge of Overseas Departments, on 21 September 1959. It is the tallest dam and creates the largest reservoir in New Caledonia.[1]

Yaté Dam
The arch and gravity section of the dam in 2011
Location of Yaté Dam in New Caledonia
Country	France
Location	Yaté, South Province, New Caledonia
Coordinates	22°09′06.33″S 166°52′52.50″E
Purpose	Power
Status	Operational
Construction began	1955
Opening date	1959 (1959)
Owner(s)	New Caledonian Society Energy (ENERCAL)
Dam and spillways
Impounds	Yaté River
Height	61 m (200 ft)
Length	580 m (1,900 ft)
Spillway type	Controlled overflow, three tainter gates
Reservoir
Creates	Lake Yaté
Total capacity	315,000,000 m3 (255,000 acre⋅ft)
Catchment area	435 km2 (168 sq mi)
Surface area	40 km2 (15 sq mi)
Yaté Hydroelectric Power Station
Coordinates	22°09′12.11″S 166°54′40.07″E
Commission date	1958
Hydraulic head	157 m (515 ft)
Turbines	4 x 17 MW Francis-type
Installed capacity	68 MW
Annual generation	307 GWh

While the main retaining portion of the dam is an arch design, it also has a concrete gravity section and an earthen and rock-fill section. The arch dam has a height of 60 m (200 ft) and length of 200 m (660 ft). On its left side adjoins the gravity section which serves as a spillway and is 61 m (200 ft) tall. It is 100 m (330 ft) long. The embankment section located direct the northwest of the gravity portion is 280 m (920 ft) long. Water from the dam is diverted through the hillsides via two 2,600 m (8,500 ft) long penstocks to the power station downstream along the Yaté River in the town of Yaté. The difference in elevation between the dam and power station affords a hydraulic head (water drop) of 157 m (515 ft). Within the power station lies four 17 MW Francis turbine-generates which produce an average of 307 GWh annually.[1]