Constituent Works
Cerros Colorados consists of four dams (Portezuelo Grande, Loma de la Lata, Planicie Banderita and El Chañar), and takes advantage of two deep natural depressions, called Los Barreales and Mari Menuco.
The Portezuelo Grande Dam (upstream) re-routes the waters of the river towards Los Barreales Lake, except for those destined to irrigation, domestic supply and ecological use. The water in Los Barreales then flows toward Mari Menuco, through a passage controlled by the Loma de la Lata Dam. The water level in Mari Menuco is kept 69 m higher than that of the river in Planicie Banderita.
The Planicie Banderita hydroelectric power plant, employs two Siemens generators equipped with vertical-axis Francis turbines (each with a nominal power of 243 MW) to generate 1,512 GWh per year. The plant then returns the waters to the course of the river. Planicie Banderita delivers the generated electric power at 500 kV to the National Interconnection System.
The flow of the river is further adjusted about 10 km downstream from Planicie Banderita by a small check dam, El Chañar.
Read more about this topic: Cerros Colorados Complex
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