EcoLur
In the framework of the project entitled “Support to SHPP-relating Reforms Through the Dialogue of Public and RA Nature Protection Ministry for Sustainable Use of River Ecosystems” the expert group visited “Ayri” SHPP. “Ari” SHPP is located in the administrative area of Soflu community, Syunik Region. The SHPP is constructed on the Ayri tributary to the Vorotan River (length – 25.5 km). It’s operated by “Zoraqar” CJSC.
As a result of the monitoring, the expert group found out:
- The SHPP has been operated since 2008.
- According to the project, the static pressure of the SHPP is 109.0 m, estimated pressure –75.99 m. The estimated yield used by the SHPP is 1.8 m3/s, projected capacity – 1280 kW. According to the certificate issued by the Public Services Regulatory Committee, the factual useful delivery of the electricity is 2.327108 million kWh, according to the project, the estimated production is 4.353 million kWh, duration of license - 30.07.2008-30.07.2023, water usage permit - 26.12.2011- 26.12.2014.
- The factual length of the dam is 18 meters, length – 1.7 meters instead of projected 35.6 meters length and 1 meter height. It’s a concrete structure, which has been additional supported with a metallic construction. There is an artificial lake above the dam, where the village children swim.
- There is cascade fish passway 7.5 meters high and 1.10 meter wide with 6 semi-worn stairs. Each stair has around 140 centimeter length and 20-30 centimeter height over each other. The fish passway is worn out, which is favourable for the migration of the fish, except for the top stair, which has a height of 60 cm due to the metallic lasher installed and is almost insurmountable obstacle for the migrating fish species.
- You can meet the following fish species in this section of the Ayri River – brown trout, the South Caucasus Sprilin and the Kura barbell.
- The lake generated because of the head section dam on the riverbed and the operating type of the fish passway don’t create favorable conditions for the natural life of the abovementioned fish species.
- There is no fish-protecting net in the head section, though the project envisages it. There is a garbage collecting cage net 2.8 meters long which is under the water, and the distance between its bars is 2.5-4 centimeters.
- Such distance between the bars can’t become an obstacle for the entrance of the fish having length of 14 cm into the derivation pipeline.
- According to the water usage permit, the SHPP takes water for 12 months using annually 54412.5 cum water, nevertheless, and it sets environmental flow of 0.1m3/s.
- At the moment of observation, the SHPP was not operating, nevertheless, water intake was being carried out for irrigation, afterwards there was around 60 l/s water amount left in the river.
- Before reaching the station there are residential areas, which need irrigation water and it’s unclear how distribution mechanism is implemented and how fair it is. There is a distribution point located around 100 meters above the SHPP station where the pipe is divided into two lines, one of which goes down to the station, the other runs another 12 km up to the land areas of Akhlatyan and Tolors communities to supply irrigation water. Water distribution is carried out according to the estimation by sight – no recording and supervision.
- There is no automatic management and recording of the water intake and the environmental flow of the SHPP.
- According to “Computation Center” CJSC data, in 2014 “Ayri” SHPP operated for 12 months and produced 2032861kW electricity.
- The derivation pipeline is made of steel, it’s under the ground at the spots of observation and the area is reclaimed. The length of the pipeline complies with the project data – 428 meters; its diameter is 1000 mm. At the moment of observation, a new pipeline was being constructed to carry out water intake from the Kshkosht Tributary to the Ayri Tributary.
- There are two turbines installed in the station in line with the project.
- The transformer substation is fenced, there is one transformer installed, which is not equipped with oil-collecting system.
- The station area is fenced and not greened.
- There is no water-meter sealed by a relevant environmental body in the water intake.
Proposals
1.To ensure automatic management, installation of measuring devices and online supervision in the head section and obstacle-free movement for the fish in the river.
2.To dismantle the metallic construction installed above the fish passway.
3.To refuse from the dam and to carry out the water intake due to other hydrotechnical solutions.
4.To implement water distribution for energetic and irrigation purposes under the conditions of strict control.
5.To install up-to-date efficient equipment to ensure entirely automatic management, as the effectiveness of the turbines is rather dubious.
6.To fence, improve, green and plant trees in the station area.
7.To equip the transformer with oil-collecting system.
8.To find out the availability of the permit or the newly constructed pipeline to carry out water intake from Kshkosht river.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
The material was developed in the frames of “Supporting reforms in the sector of small hydro power plants through enabling a dialogue between civil society and the Ministry of Nature Protection for sustainable use of river ecosystems” supported by UNDP/GEF Small Grants Programme".
February 05, 2016 at 18:12