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 “ Karakaya ” SHPP. “ Karakaya ” SHPP is located in the administrative area of Vardahovit community, Vayots Dzor Region. The SHPP is constructed on the Karakaya Tributary to the Yeghegis River (length – 15 km). It’s operated by “HAK HPP” LLC.
As a result of the monitoring, the expert group found out:
- No data available for the operation date.
- According to the project, the static pressure of the SHPP is 285.7m, according to the project the estimated pressure is 256.7 m. According to the the certificate issued by the Public Services Regulatory Committee on 1 October 2015, the estimated pressure of the SHPP is 163 m. According to the project, the estimated yield used by the SHPP is 1.1 m3/s and 0.55 m3/s for the right-side tributary. According to PSRC certificate, the estimated yield used by the SHPP is 1.1 m3/s and 0.55 m3/s. The projected capacity is 3018 kW, according to the project and the PSRC. According to the PSRC, the factual useful delivery of the electricity is 1.777005 million kWh, the estimated production of the SHPP is 4.16419833333333million kWh according to the project, duration of license - 10.08.2008-10.08.2023, water usage permit 26.03.2013-26.03.2016.
- The water of the Karakaya River and tributary are collected in the water drainage basin, from where a part of the water is directed to the sand trap, the rest flows to the river through the fish passway.
- The length of the dam is 8 meters, its height is 1.5 meters. The structure is made of concrete.
- There is a stair-like fish passway in the head section, 10.04 meters long and 1.03 meters wide, which consists of 8 stairs, out of which each has height of around 37 cm. The fish passway can ensure the movement of the brown trout up the river.
- There are steel angles incorporated into the concrete near the fish passway entrance to close the fish entrance of the fish passway, if needed. At the moment of observation, the river didn’t have sufficient amount of environmental flow to ensure the movement of the fish.
- There are no fish-protecting net cages in the head section: instead, there are two garbage-collecting cage nets of 6.5 and 1,8 meters long, and the distance between their slots is 3.5-4.0 cm. The project planned to have a small cage net and a metallic net.
- You can meet the brown trout in this section of the Karakaya River.
- The SHPP pipeline is made of steel: the length and diameter of the pipeline constructed for the water intake from the Karakaya River comply with the project data: length – 3127 and 1200 meters and diameter – 800 and 600 mm. The length of the pipeline designed for the water intake from the right-side tributary is 1200 m and its diameter is 600 mm, according to the project. The pipeline is not buries in many places. The monitoring group hasn’t visited the water intake point carried out from the Karakaya River and can’t submit data about the water intake point and the pipeline.
- 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, “Karakaya” SHPP can take water in all months, annually 51590.0 cum ensuring 0.03 cum/s environmental flow in the river and 0.01cum/s for the right-wing tributary. The project planned environmental flow of 0.03 cum/s for the Karakaya River and environmental flow of 0.01 cum/s for the right-wing tributary.
- According to “Computation Center” CJSC data, in 2014 “Karakaya” SHPP operated for 12 months in 2014 and produced 4526632 kW electricity.
- There are three turbines installed in the SHPP buildings of local “Khorda” production and generators of Soviet production. At the moment of observation only two aggregates were operating ensuring 28 and 100 kW capacity. According to the SHPP employer, the economic profitability of the SHPP is low and the SHP doesn’t ensure its projected capacity.
- There is semi-automated management system operating in the system.
- 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.
- No tree felling was planned during the SHPP construction. The project planned planting 30 trees in the station area.
- 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.
- The discharge of household wastewater is carried out through a well toilet, the septic hole was in the construction process.
- The SHPP employs 7 people.
- The State Environmental Inspection of Nature Protection Ministry imposed an administrative fine of 200,000 AMD in 2014.
Conclusion
It doesn’t make any sense to deprive the river of the water for 128 kW capacity. The environmental flow is too small to ensure the natural state of the river and biodiversity, it should be reviewed. The hydrological data show that the SHPP shouldn’t operate in low-water season.
Proposals
- To ensure automatic management of environmental flow, installation of water-measuring devices
- To ensure the set amount of environmental flow in the Karakaya River for the preservation of the river ecosystem and ensuring the movement of the fish.
- To remove the construction designed to close the entrance of the fish passway.
- 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.
- To ensure solutions to the discharge of the wastewater through a water-proof well or “mini” cleaning station.
- To carry out sufficient greening and improvement works.
- To equip the transformers with oil-collecting system.
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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 22, 2016 at 13:31