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 “Apres” SHPP. “Apres” SHPP is located in the administrative area of Ouyts community, Syunik Region. The SHPP is constructed on the Vorotan River (length – 178 km). It’s operated by “Smbul” LLC.
As a result of the monitoring, the expert group found out:
- The SHPP has been operating since 2008.
- According to the project, the static pressure of the SHPP is 55.5 m and the estimated pressure is 53.0 m. The estimated yield used by the SHPP is 3.33 m3/s. According to the certificate issued by the Public Services Regulatory Committee on 1 January 2015, the projected capacity is 1500 kW, the factual useful delivery of the electricity is 8.7 million kWh, according to the project the annually average produced electricity is 1.67 million kW/h, duration of license - 24.09.2008- 24.09.2023, water usage permit 07.10.2011-07.10.2014.
- There are incompliances between the real coordinates of the water intake and water discharge points and those mentioned in the water usage permit. The water discharge coordinates mentioned in the water usage permit are in a distance of about 6 km from the real location of the station - not on the river bank, but somewhere in the mountains.
- The length of the SHPP concrete dam is 25 meters, its height is 8 meters. There is an artificial lake generated above the dam. The project says the dam shall be 8.7 meter high and 36 meters long.
- There is a cascade-like six stairs made of concrete 10 meters long and 8 meters high in the head section, which have height of around 60-100 cm. Such a structure can’t play the role of a fish passway for any fish species living in the Vorotan River. The project planned to have a fish passway of 25.5 meters high and 1.5 meters long.
- There is no fish-protecting net: there is an underground garbage collector of 3.6 meters long, and the distance between its bars is 3.0-3.5 cm.
- The garbage collected from the garbage-collectors in dumped on the bank river.
- You can meet the following fish species in the following section of the Vorotan River: brown trout, South Caucasus Sprilin, Kura barbell, Sevan Khramulya (red-listed). Rainbow trout may regularly penetrate from the fish farms.
- According to the project, the length of the derivation pipeline is 1700 meters, while its diameter is1620 meters. The pipeline is made of steel and it runs along the river bank. It’s not buried and can be a serious obstacle for the animals and people to freely approach this river section.
- Percentage correlation of aggregate length of SHPP derivation pipelines (16482.37meters) of “Vorotna HPP” (the length of the derivation pipeline is 3220 meters, according to the certificate issued by the Public Services Regulatory Committee on 1 January 2015), “Shinuhayr” SHPP (the length of the derivation pipeline is 1555 meters, according to the certificate issued by the Public Services Regulatory Committee on 1 January 2015), “Apres” SHPP (the length of the derivation pipeline is 1700 meters, according to the certificate issued by the Public Services Regulatory Committee on 1 January 2015), “Vorotan-7” (the length of the derivation pipeline is 931.37 meters, according to the certificate issued by the Public Services Regulatory Committee on 1 January 2015), “Ishkhanasar” SHPP (the length of the derivation pipeline is 4356 meters, according to the project), “Mane” SHPP (the length of the derivation pipeline is 4720 meters, according to the certificate issued by the Public Services Regulatory Committee on 1 January 2015) with the length of Vorotan River makes up 9.25 % (178 km).
- According to the water usage permit, “Apres” SHPP can take water in all months, annually 84844.0 cum ensuring 1 cum/s environmental flow in the river. Visual observation showed that the environmental flow of 1 cum/s was ensured.
- According to “Computation Center” CJSC data, in 2014 “Apres” SHPP operated for 12 months in 2014 and produced 9201447 kW electricity.
- There are two turbines installed in the station.
- The automatic management and registration of the water intake is ensured, which is not the case for the environmental flow.
- There is no water-meter sealed by a relevant environmental body in the water intake.
- The transformer substation is fenced. The only transformer is not equipped with oil-collecting system.
- The station area is improved, greened and planted with trees.
- In 2015 the State Environmental Inspection of Nature Protection Ministry was fined in the amount of 100,000 AMD.
Proposals
1.To ensure automatic management and online control of water intake and environmental flow in the head section, installation of water-measuring devices.
2.To reconstruct the fish passway to ensure the normal movement of the fish.
3.To apply for a new water usage permit, as the old one has already expired. To review hydroeconomic estimates, as the factual data show that the produced electricity has exceeded the projected indications by 5 times, which was feasible due to extra water amount.
4.To refuse from the dam and to carry out the water intake due to other hydrotechnical solutions.
5.To bury the pipeline under the ground to ensure the opportunity to approach the river.
6.To dump the collected garbage onto a landfills site.
7.To install up-to-date effective equipment with entire automatic management to ensure maximum efficient hydroenergetic reserves.
8.To install an oil-collector under the transformer.
9.To install a fish-protecting net.
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Photos by Levon Galstyan
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".
March 09, 2016 at 15:16