Hydropower Plant Kops II

The new pump storage plant of Vorarlberger Illwerke AG in Gaschurn-Partenen

HYDROpOWER PLANT KOpS II

GEOgRAphiCAL SiTUATiON

The Vorarlberger Illwerke AG (Illwerke) operate in total nine Alpine Hydroelectric Power Plants in the most western part of Austria in Vorarlberg (Montafon and Walgau) . The rst power plant, the Vermunt plant started operation in 1930. In the course of dierent extension programs a compound group of Hydroelectric Power Plants and water resources was implemented until 1984. The liberalization of the electricity market and the rapid development of wind energy with wind-forces that cannot be inuenced have led to an increasing demand for peak and control energy as well as for the possibility of a pump storage in large Alpine reservoirs. Illwerke responded to this demand by developing and constructing the highly ecient pump storage Power Plant Kops II.

The Hydropower Plant Kops II is located parallel to the existing Kops Plant I in the Inner Montafon. The complete power plant in the municipal territory of Gaschurn extends from Kops (1,800 m) over Tafamunt (1,700 m) into the valley to Rifa (1,000 m) between the tourist centres Gaschurn and Partenen. All parts of the plant, including the power house, are situated inside the mountain. Only the 220 kV switching station executed with space saving indoor SF6 technology and access roads and gates to the facilities situated inside the mountain are visible.

March 20th, 2003 April 2003 September 2003 March 2004 July 2004 August 2004 September 2004 End of 2007/ beginning 2008 June 2008 Construction time Sum invested

Policy decision to build the Hydropower Plant Kops II Initiation of preliminary examination procedure for environmental impact assessment (EIA) Application for implementation of an environmental impact assessment (EIA) Verbal permission request procedure pursuant to the law on the environmental impact assessment Denitive decision by the supervisory board of Illwerke to proceed with construction Building permit becomes legally valid Start of construction Planned commissioning of the rst set of machines Commissioning of machines 2 and 3 3.5 years approx. EUR 360 million

Important benets and synergies of Hydropower Plant Kops II:

n 450 MW additional turbine and pump capacity for exible supply of peak and control energy for the European grid n Expansion of combined use of other renewable sources of

energy, e.g. wind energy

n Strong positioning in the liberalized electricity market n Increase in the economic viability of the entire Upper Ill Lner Reservoir hydroelectric scheme n Value-added activities and economic boost for the Province of Vorarlberg and the Montafon

In March 2003 the supervisory boards of the Illwerke made the policy decision to build Hydropower Plant Kops II into the existing Upper Ill Lner Reservoir scheme ( = power plants in the Montafon) for the generation of highly ecient peak and control energy. Hydropower Plant Kops II increases the capacity of Illwerke in pumping mode by 85% and in turbine operation by 36%. No additional water resources are needed, as Kops II uses the existing Kops Reservoir as upper reservoir and the existing balancing reservoir Rifa as lower reservoir.

ThE CONCEpT
Hydropower Plant Kops II has been designed as pump storage plant. The power plant uses the head between Kops Reservoir (1,800m) and Partenen-Rifa (1,000 m). In turbine mode the water from Kops Reservoir will ow through a pressure tunnel and a pressure shaft to the power house. The hydroelectric generating sets, consisting of turbines, pumps and generators are situated in an underground power house, the transformers are situated in the adjacent transformer cavern. The water used in Hydropower Plant Kops II then ows through a tailrace tunnel into the balancing reservoir Rifa, that serves as tailrace balancing reservoir and as pump water reservoir. The 220kV switching station for Hydropower Plant Kops II is designed in space saving indoor SF6 technology and is located near the existing switching yard of Rifa Plant. The energy is transported between Hydropower Plant Kops II and the switch yard Brs using the existing 220 kV line from Partenen to Brs.
Versalspitze 2,000 m Kops Reservoir 1,809 m
ber

Gaschurn

valve

cham

surge tank

Rifa Access to underground power house

press ure tu

Hydropower Plant Kops II cavern

nnel press u shaft re

access tunnel L 188 balancing reservoir Rifa 1,005 m

Partenen

Characteristic data
n n n n

Installed capacity in turbine mode Installed capacity in pump mode Capacity of generators Height of fall

450 MW 450 MW 600 MVA approx. 800 m

ThE TEChNOLOgY

The Hydropower Plant Kops II is a pump storage plant that can be used to regulate the grid in turbine mode as well as in pump mode and is located parallel to Hydropower Plant Kops I.

surge tank

pressure tunnel

System components
n Intake / outlet structures in Kops Reservoir n n n n n n

Valve chamber and bypass shaft Pressure tunnel (Versal tunnel II) Two chamber surge tank with inclined shaft and 3 throttles Pressure shaft High-head manifold piping Underground power house - machine cavern - 3 hydroelectric generating sets with Pelton turbine, motor generator, clutch and storage pump - transformer cavern Tailwater system - 3 compressed air surge chambers - tailrace to Rifa balancing reservoir - two chamber trailrace surge tank - low pressure manifold pipes Outlet / intake structures in Rifa balancing reservoir 220-kV-SF6 switching station
underground power house tailrace tunnel gallery Tafamunt

pressure shaft

n n

ThE TEChNOLOgY

Headrace
Pressure tunnel Versal tunnel II
The pressure tunnel runs parallel to the existing pressure tunnel of Hydropower Plant Kops I and was excavated mechanically by a doubleshield tunnel boring machine. The favourable geological and hydrogeological conditions permitted a lining of the 5.5 km long pressure tunnel with precast concrete elements. This type of lining is a construction method perfectly adapted to the high-alpine location of the construction site.
n Length n n

race system, certain amounts of water can get out towards the surge tank. The surge tank is sort of an equalizing reservoir reducing the pressure uctuations and/or limiting the high dynamic pressures in the entire headwater. The surge tank Aussertafamunt is located in the transition area from the pressure tunnel to the pressure shaft and consists of a lower chamber with two connections to the pressure tunnel, an inclined shaft with a throttle in its lower end, as well as of an upper chamber and a ventilation shaft leading into the access tunnel Tafamunt.

5,552 m 4.90 m 0.4 %

Lower chamber Inclined shaft

Internal diameter Longitudinal gradient

total length 250 m internal diameter 7.00 m length 185 m internal diameter 5.10 m longitudinal gradient 49 length 235 m internal diameter 6.20 m

Surge tank Aussertafamunt

With control procedures, e.g. changing from turbine into pump operation, the water ow must abruptly be slowed down in the tunnel and has to be accelerated into the opposite direction. In order to avoid high dynamic pressures that would have an additional eect upon the head

Upper chamber

surge tank

pressure tunnel

discharge shaft Kops Reservoir valve chamber gallery Oberwald

gallery Tafamunt pressure shaft

ThE TEChNOLOgY

Pressure shaft Aussertafamunt

The pressure shaft surmounts a gradient of approx. 700 m. The pressure shaft of approx. 1.1 km length has been cut by a tunnel boring machine from Rifa towards Aussertafamunt and has subsequently been lined with steel pipes. This steel lining has been backlled in sections and grouted. Pressure shaft
n n Flat track n

inclined shaft

surge tank upper chamber ventilation shaft

pressure tunnel

length 1,135 m internal diameter 3.80 m longitudinal gradient 80.0 % (38.7) length 60 m internal diameter 3.80 m

surge tank lower chamber mucking shaft

gallery Tafamunt pre-assembling cavern

Distribution pipes tapering to 2,20 m with connecting shut-o valves internal diameter 1.50 m

Underground power house

The underground power house is the central element of the power plant and is located approx. 150 m inside the mountain in Gaschurn-Rifa. Access is possible amongst others via the access tunnel. The power house is most impressive for its extraordinary dimensions. If we consider the height-width ratio, this cavern is one of the largest rock cavities in the world. The rock excavation causes strains on the local rock mass, which constitutes a real challenge as to rock mechanics. The cavity has to withstand the high forces that act on it from any side. Sophisticated static calculations and mathematical simulations of the geological conditions had to be made. Regular measuring provided information about the real situation. The cavity rock face was supported by numerous rock anchors and a shotcrete lining. After completion of the cavity solid concrete foundations, walls and ceilings were built for the installation of the heavy machines. The underground power house is equipped with a combined crane (2 x 130 tons) necessary for the installation of the machines and, after the commissioning, for the maintenance works.

pressure shaft machine cavern

tailrace surge tank

distribution pipes access tunnel underground power house tailrace tunnel outlet structure access portal

ThE TEChNOLOgY
turbine

Transformer cavern
Volume of rock excavated approx. 9,800 cubic meters, length approx. 35 m, width approx. 16 m, height approx. 19 m. Three transformers connected via isolated-phase bus ducts with the generators.
compressed air chamber tailrace tunnel

valve tunnel pressure shaft

pump rising line

generator clutch pump

pump intake

Machine cavern
Volume of rock excavated: approx. 113,000 cubic meters. Width max. approx. 30.5 m, height max. approx. 60.5 m, length approx. 88 m. The total height of the vertically installed hydroelectric generating sets consisting of a three-stage storage pump, an hydraulic clutch, a motor generator and a six-nozzled Pelton turbine is approx. 38 m. Characteristic data
n n n n

220-kV energy transport via cables to the indoor 220-kV-SF6 switching station next to the switching yard of Rifa Plant. The energy is transported between Hydropower Plant Kops II and the transformer station Brs using the existing 220 kV line from Partenen to Brs.
tailrace surge tank machine cavern transformer cavern pressure shaft shaft bottom cavern distribution pipes valve tunnel

Number of hydroelectric generating sets 3 Nominal speed Maximum capacity in turbine operation Pump driving power 500 rev/min 3 x 150 MW 3 x 150 MW

access tunnel

ILL L188 mucking tunnel

tailrace tunnel

cable subway

reservoir outlet

balancing reservoir Rifa

ThE TEChNOLOgY

Tailrace
The tailrace (turbine discharge and pump feed) crosses underground the road L188, the river Ill and the embankment of the balancing reservoir Rifa. The reservoir outlet and intake works are located in the balancing reservoir Rifa. The water of Kops Reservoir used for the turbine operation is temporarily stored in the Rifa Reservoir and is returned in pump mode from here into Kops Reservoir. The tailrace system from the underground power house to the outlet structure in the balancing reservoir Rifa comprises the following components:

Compressed air surge chamber

3 partly steel lined chambers of 45 m length each, section 52 m3, with annexed culvert and a 77 m long connection tunnel to the tailrace tunnel.

Surge tank Gufel

47 m long lower chamber, dierential shaft with internal diameter of 12 m and height of 31 m and smaller upper surge chamber.

Tailrace tunnel
Total length: 267 m Maximum internal diameter in the area of the rock: 7 m; internal diameter in the area of the steel lined track of alluvions: 5.8 m. Common turbine discharge and pump feed works with roller gate in the balancing reservoir Rifa.

compressed air chamber M3 compressed air chamber M2 compressed air chamber M1

transformer cavern tailrace surge tank underground power house

reservoir outlet

pump water tunnel

cooling and reghting water tank tailrace tunnel connection tunnel

culvert

POWER CONTROL iN pUMpiNg MODE

Storage pumps can only be used if operated with 100% load. With a surplus of power in the grid the adaptation to the uctuations have to be compensated by a controllable pump. In order to be able to assure a power control also in pump mode, the principle of the hydraulic shortcircuit is used in Hydropower Plant Kops II. The dierence between the steady take of full load of the pump and the lesser surplus of power in the grid is compensated by the simultaneous operation of the turbines to the necessary extent. Since the turbine is assuring a good control ability in the complete range, a good control ability will also be given in pump mode. In Hydropower Plant Kops II the time for changing between turbine operation and pump mode will be short in accordance with the requests of the grid.

In order to satisfy the market demands, Hydropower Plant Kops II has a full range of control ability of +/- 100 % in turbine operation and in pump mode. Power control should as much as possible be provided in a range between 0 % and 100 % in turbine operation as well as in pump mode in order to cover the deviation of the real and the predicted power demand in the grid. Pelton turbines are used because they guarantee a highest possible eciency for minor power demands and/or power surplus in the grid and an optimal control ability. To this eect the pump and the turbine must be separated, a clutch must be provided and the elements have to be arranged on a machine axis together with the motor generator.

Hydraulischer Kurzschluss
z.B.:

berschussleistung im Netz 100 MW Pumpleistung 150 MW

Kops Reservoir

G/M generator/motor runs with 100 MW T turbine (Pelton with Hydropower Plant Kops II) supplies additional 50 MW P pump receives 150 MW Q water ow

Pgrid = 100 MW surplus Q with 100 MW 100 MW Q with 50 MW T 50 MW Q with 150 MW P 150 MW Q with 150 MW G/M Q with 50 MW Q with 100 MW balancing reservoir Rifa

Example of an hydraulic short-circuit with surplus of power in the grid 100 MW, pump capacity 150 MW

G/M

Generator/Motor luft mit 100 MW

GEOLOgY

ENViRONMENT

Never before, such high ecological demands had to be satised in Vorarlberg for a construction project, as with Hydropower Plant Kops II. It was the rst time an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) was initiated and could be closed positively. Such a procedure guarantees that during the construction and the operation of Hydropower Plant Kops II man or nature are spared to the highest possible degree. More than 500 regulations assure that the construction will be made in an environmentally friendly way and that also the later operation will be technically safe and ecological. In general, the geological conditions were favourable for the construction of the power plant, in several sections however, dicult geological conditions were encountered, as anticipated. The facilities of Hydropower Plant Kops II are located completely in the rock series consisting of Silvretta crystalline. These series consist for the most part in solid and hard rock as e.g. amphibolite, hornblende gneiss and other types of gneiss. Other less solid mica-schists have also been encountered. The ndings made during the construction of Hydropower Plant Kops I during the sixties and during the construction of the exploration tunnel excavated in the year 2003 in the area of the actual transformer and machine cavern, as well as further exploration measures were essential. For the operation of Hydropower Plant Kops II no additional natural available water supply will be needed. The plant uses the Kops Reservoir as headwater reservoir, the existing balancing reservoir Rifa in Partenen is used as tailrace reservoir and the energy is transported using an existing high-voltage line. Concerning the operation of the power plant, Illwerke voluntarily adopted an environmental management system pursuant to ISO 14000.

Legende Legend Hangschutt talus material Alluvium alluvium

Morne moraine

Schiefergneis und Migmatitgneis schist gneiss and migmatite gneiss

mica-schist Glimmerschiefer amphibolite and hornblende gneiss Amphibolit und Hornblendegneis granitegneiss and aplite gneiss Granitgneis und Aplitgneis

discharge shaft with reservoir outlet works Kops Reservoir pressure tunnel l = 5.5 km valve chamber

surge tank

underground power house balancing reservoir Rifa pressure shaft l = 1.1 km

intake structure

VORARLBERgER ILLWERkE AG
Peak and control energy covers the peak demand periods that occur briey but often during any given day in order to maintain the balance between consumption and generation of electricity. During low demand periods in the grid, especially in case of a high supply of wind energy, Illwerkes power plants take energy of the grid to operate the pumps, a procedure known as pump storage. The water pumped into high-altitude reservoirs is then available for periods of high demand for peak and control energy. This practice of pump storage has proven to be highly eective. Illwerke provides its electricity customers with 1,248 MW turbine output and a pump capacity of 533 MW. Following the commissioning of Hydropower Plant Kops II, this makes up 1,700 MW of turbine output and 980 MW of pump capacity.

Vorarlberger Illwerke AG was founded in 1924 as a limited liability company (GmbH) and has been a joint stock company (AG) located in Bregenz since 1927. The primary shareholder of Illwerke is the Province of Vorarlberg, holding 95.5% of the shares. 4.5 % of the shares are in the possession of WEG-Wertpapiererwerbsgesellschaft m.b.H., Bregenz. With nine power plants, four reservoirs and several pump storage reservoirs, the Illwerke hydroelectric scheme is the basis for generating electricity from alpine water resources in the Montafon and the Walgau. Within the European grid that connects all power plants and consumers concerned, Illwerke supplies peak energy to its consumers and contractual partners: Energie Baden-Wrttemberg AG (EnBW), the Province of Vorarlberg/Vorarlberger Kraftwerke AG (VKW) and the Province of Tyrol/TIWAG-Tiroler Wasserkraft AG, as well as the opportunity to take advantage of pump storage and additional energy services.
Piz Buin 3.312 m

Hydropower Plant layout of Vorarlberger Illwerke AG

source of Ill Tyrol Vorarlberg

Brand glaciers

Silvretta Reservoir Hydropower Plant Obervermunt Vermunt Reservoir Lnersee Reservoir

Ischgl

Kops Reservoir Galtr Pumping Station Kleinvermunt Hydropower Plant Kops I Hydropower Plant Kops II

Hydropower Plant Vermunt Hydropower Plant Rifa Partenen Montafon

Hydropower Plant Latschau Hydropower Plant Rodund I Schruns

Hydropower Plant Lnersee Hydropower Plant Rodund II Hydropower Plant Walgau Bludenz Walgau

Paznaun

group

CONTACT

Vorarlbergs history of electricity industry began more than a century ago. Due to the abounding watercourses and the good geographical conditions, Vorarlberg presented the ideal prerequisites for an economically important development of hydropower. Founded as early as in 1901 as a private company, the Vorarlberger Kraftwerke AG (VKW) became in 1929 a province-owned company that covered the public demand of electricity. The Vorarlberger Illwerke AG (Illwerke) was founded in 1924 in view of the production of peak and control energy for its partners in the European grid.
Zurich

Ulm Stuttgart Friedrichshafen

A7 A96

Munich
A8

Lindau

FRG
Bregenz

Altenrhein
A1/A13

Dornbirn

CH

A14

Feldkirch

Bludenz

FL

S16

Innsbruck Vienna

Schruns
L188

Partenen

Hydropower Plant Kops II

In the course of the liberalization of the European electricity market the companies merged on January 1st, 2001 as Illwerke/VKW group and have now a common management. The distribution of duties and responsibilities was reorganized within the Illwerke/VKW group. The core business of Illwerke concentrates on the production of energy and the operation of VKW power plants. The VKW concentrates on the distribution of energy in Vorarlberg and in the neighbouring Western Allgu and acts as electricity distributor. The VKW-Netz AG concentrates on the transportation of electricity and the operation of a distributing grid thus assuring a secure electricity supply in Vorarlberg.

group
Vorarlberger Illwerke Aktiengesellschaft Weidachstrae 6, 6900 Bregenz, Austria T +43/5574/601-0, F +43/5574/601-78526 www.illwerke.at www.kopswerk2.at info-kopswerk2@illwerke.at