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 “Gndasar” SHPP. “Gndasar” SHPP is located in Kotayk Region. The SHPP is constructed on the Akunq Tributary to the Hrazdan River (length – 13 km). It’s operated by “Gndasar SHPP” LLC.
As a result of the monitoring, the expert group found out:
- The SHPP has been operating since 2014.
- According to the company, the static pressure of the SHPP is 110-120 m, according to the certificate issued by the Public Services Regulatory Committee on 1 January 2016, the estimated pressure of the SHPP is 103.6 m and the project says it’s 107m. According to the project and the PSRC certificate, the estimated yield used by the SHPP is 1 m3/s. According to the the project and the PSRC certificate, the projected capacity is 925 kW, it’s 900 kW. According to the PSRC, as of 01.01.2016 the factual useful delivery of the electricity is 4.4192 million kWh, duration of license - 03.12.2014- 03.12.2029, water usage permit - 14.02.2013-14.02.2016.
- The length of the concrete dam is 17 m, its height is 2.7 m, which resulted in the generation of an artificial lake.
- There is a stair-like fish passway of 0.75-1.2 m wide and 9 m long with 9 stairs constructed in the right part of the dam. The height of the stairs reaches up to 30 cm, which can cause difficulties for the movement of the fish and their flowing up the river. At the moment of observation, the entrance of the fish passway was brazed with metallic tin, which couldn’t be moved and the water wasn’t flowing at all. It’s not known how the environmental flow is regulated and let out into the river. The constructed fish passway has no functional significance.
- There is a garbage-collector at the entrance of the SHPP pipeline, and the distance between its bars is 3 cm.
- You can meet the following fish species in this section of the Hrazdan River: brown trout, South Caucasus Sprilin, Kura barbell, Sevan Khramulya (red-listed in Armenia), loach and Kura loach, Prussian Carp, topmouth gudgeon and rainbow trout, which can penetrate into the river from the tributaries flowing into it.
- According to the project, the length of the pipeline is 2186 m, its diameter is 1000 mm. The pipeline is buried under the ground.
- Percentage correlation of aggregate length of SHPP derivation pipeline of “Gndasar” SHPP with the length of the river makes up 16.81 %. The water usage permit developed by “Gndasar” SHPP doesn’t submit any data on the water intake and environmental flow. The construction water usage permit sets an environmental flow of 0.05 cum/s.
- The automated management and recording of the environmental flow is not ensured.
- At the moment of observation, the environmental flow in the river in very little amount was ensured only with the extra yields from the sand trap. According to the SHPP employee, the SHPP operation is stopped in irrigation season (June-August), but it should be recorded that the SHPP operates whole year according to hydroeconomic estimates. According to the SHPP employee, the SHPP operation was stopped also in high-water season of the river (around 2.5-3 months) because of river sediment load – household wastes from the residential areas.
- There are two hygroaggregates of Chinese production installed in the SHPP building, which can operate with water amount of 0.5-0.8 cum/s and ensure 500 kW projected capacity instead of 925 kW. At the moment of observation, only one was operating and it ensured 140 kW capacity.
- There is a measuring device in the SHPP building, which shows the level of the water used by the SHPP. This device automatically regulated the SHPP water intake from the SHPP building.
- The transformer substation is fenced, the transformer is not equipped with oil-collecting system.
- According to “Computation Center” CJSC data, in 2014 “Gndasar” SHPP operated for 5 months from August to December and produced 345975 kW electricity. The station area is fenced with stones, planted with trees and improved.
Conclusion
This SHPP shall stop its operation in low-water season.
Proposals
- To ensure automatic management of environmental flow in the head section, installation of water-measuring devices and online control.
- To review the water usage permit setting such an environmental flow, which will ensure the natural state of ecosystem and biodiversity, to review hydroeconomic estimates and to take irrigation into consideration.
- To verify the reliability of hydrological data.
- To reconstruct the fish passway to ensure the natural movement of the fish. Before this the construction blocking the entrance of the fish passway shall be removed.
- The use of the dam may be refused and to carry out the water intake in another way without blocking the riverbed.
- To equip the transformers with oil-collecting system.
- To equip the entrance of the pipeline with cellular 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".
April 25, 2016 at 13:50