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 “Sunrise” SHPP. “Sunrise” SHPP is located in the administrative area of Hermon community, Vayots Dzor Region. The SHPP is constructed on the Karakaya Tributary to the Yeghegis River (length – 15 km). It’s operated by “Sunrise Electric” CJSC.
As a result of the monitoring, the expert group found out:
- The SHPP has been operating since 2011.
- According to the project, the static pressure of the SHPP is 112 m, the company says it’s 90 m. According to the project and the certificate issued by the Public Services Regulatory Committee on 1 October 2015, the estimated pressure of the SHPP is 84.03 m, according to the company – 90 m,. According to the project and PSRC certificate, the estimated yield used by the SHPP is 1.5 m3/s. According to the project and PSRC certificate, projected capacity – 959 kW. According to the PSRC, the factual useful delivery of the electricity is 1.777005 million kWh, the estimated production of the SHPP is 3.57 million kWh according to the project, duration of license - 29.12.2009-29.12.2024, water usage permit 12.11.2013 - 12.11.2016.
- The real coordinates of the SHPP water intake point and water discharge don’t comply with the coordinates laid down in the water usage permit.
- “Sunrise” SHPP carries out water intake immediately after the water discharge point of “Vardahovit” SHPP. The water discharge is carried out directly next to 'Hermon' SHPP water discharge point in Aysas River. The stations of both SHPPs are located next to each other.
- The length of the dam is 6 meters, its height is 2.3 meters: it’s a structure made of concrete.
- The fish passway is a construction made of metallic pipe, which is 60 cm wide and 3.8 meters long. In the upper part the construction is deprived of any device suitable for the movement of the fish in a section of around 2 meters. In general, the fish passway is almost impractical for the movement of the fish living in the river.
- There are no fish-protecting net cages in the head section: instead, there is a garbage-collecting cage net of 2.2 meters long, and the distance between its slots is 2-3 cm.
- You can meet the following fish species in this section of the Karakaya river: brown trout, the South Caucasus Sprilin and Kura barvel. The rainbow trout may penetrate into here from the fish farms.
- The SHPP pipeline is made of steel: the length and diameter of the pipeline comply with the project data: length – 2268 meters and diameter – 820 mm.
- Percentage correlation of aggregate length of SHPP derivation pipelines (10165 meters) of “Vardahovit” SHPP (developer - “Vardahovit” LLC, the length of the derivation pipeline is 3570 meters, according to the project), “Karakaya” SHPP ( developer – “HAK HPP” LLC, according to the project, the length of the pipeline constructed for the water intake from the Karakaya River is 4327 meters), “Sunrise” SHPP ( developer – “Sunrise Electric” CJSC, the length of the derivation pipeline is 2268 meters, according to the project), with the length of Karakaya River makes up 67.76 %.
- According to the water usage permit, “Sunrise” SHPP can take water in all months, annually 18055.0 cum ensuring 0.03 cum/s environmental flow in the river. The project also sets the same environmental flow.
- According to “Computation Center” CJSC data, in 2014 “Sunrise” SHPP operated for 12 months in 2014 and produced 1440659 kW electricity.
- There are two aggregates installed in the SHPP buildings of Chinese production. At the moment of observation only one aggregate was operating using 50 l/s water amount and ensuring 20 kW projected capacity, as it was a low-water season. The maximum estimated yield for the SHPP has been set 1.5 cum/s, which is used by the SHPP in April-May only. This yield doesn’t ensure the maximum of 959 kW projected capacity of the two aggregates installed in the SHPP building.
- The transformer substation is fenced, the installed transformers are not equipped with oil-collecting system.
- Automatic management of recording of water intake and environmental flow is not ensured.
- The station area is improved and partially greened.
- There is no water-meter sealed by a relevant environmental body in the water intake.
- The landscape is not disturbed and there are no signs of landslide.
- Reclaiming has been carried out.
- The discharge of household wastewater is carried out through a water-proof well.
- The SHPP employs 5 people.
Proposals
- To ensure automatic management of environmental flow in the head section, installation of water-measuring devices and online control.
- To reconstruct the fish passway.
- The amount of environmental flow set is too small to ensure natural state of the river and biodiversity: it needs to be reviewed.
- The SHPP shouldn’t operate in a low-water season taking into consideration the hydrological data.
- To clarify the reasons of the incompliance of the coordinated mentioned in the water usage permit.
- To equip the transformers with oil-collecting system.
- To re-equip the SHPP with new and up-to-date hydroaggregates having high efficiency to have entirely automated management system, to operate with little water amount and to ensure the projected capacity.
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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 21, 2016 at 13:53