Energy

Hydro installation on the rio Bigontina

New installation in the municipality of Cortina d’Ampezzo
Owner/client Dolomiti Derivazioni s.r.l.
Type of service Preliminary Design for Application for Grant; Environmental Impact Assessment
Location Cortina d'Ampezzo
Period 2011 - 2012
Cost € 4.000.000

The design, which together with the environmental prefeasibility study is attached to the application for water diversion for hydroelectric use, defines a run-of-river installation for using the resources of the Rio Bigontina.

The 'drop' intake structure, located at 1527.13 m above sea level, consists of a fixed weir featuring a diversion channel fed by a sub-horizontal intake grid. The channel, which develops on the right bank, conveys water to the sand trap from where it gets into the load tank. This is where the steel pressure pipe (DN1600) originates, which develops underground over a length of approx. 2080 m, on the right bank as far as the existing small bridge in Pecosta and, always on the right bank, downstream of the same.

The water so diverted shall be used in the turbine power plant (equipped with a horizontal axis Pelton turbine) located on the left bank of the Rio Bigontina, on a plateau close to the local road network (Via Cantore – Pecol). An open return pipe with direct water delivery into the Rio Bigontina shall also be laid here. Architectural design of the power plant by Architect Vincenzo Valentini.

All the works making up the installation are located in the municipality of Cortina d'Ampezzo.

Highlights
Flow rate
1

Natural flow rate (average value): 0.372 mc/s; Available flow rate (average value): 0.270 mc/s; Available flow rate (maximum value): 0.860 mc/s.

Plant capacity
2

Nominal capacity (average value): 0.65 MW; Efficient capacity (maximum value): 1.37 MW; Annual production (average value): 4.26 GWh/year.

Other features
3

Minimum Vital Flow: 80 l/s (stable during year); Average hydraulic head: 244.48 m.