Rheidol Power Station

Rheidol Power Station
The main Rheidol power station.
Location of Rheidol Power Station in Wales
Location Cwm Rheidol, Wales
Coordinates 52°23′46″N 3°54′00″W / 52.396°N 3.900°W / 52.396; -3.900Coordinates: 52°23′46″N 3°54′00″W / 52.396°N 3.900°W / 52.396; -3.900
Construction began 1957
Opening date 1964
Construction cost £10 million
Reservoir
Creates Nant-y-Moch, Dinas, Cwm Rheidol
Catchment area 162 km2
Power Station
Turbines 2 × 20 MW, 1 × 13 MW, 3 × 1 MW
Installed capacity 56 MW
Annual generation 85 GWh

Rheidol power station is a 56 MW hydroelectric scheme near Aberystwyth, Wales. It was built between 1957 and 1962 and was officially opened on 3 July 1964. It has been operated by Statkraft since 2009 after it was transferred from E.ON UK as part of a swap for shares.[1] In 1964/65 Rheidol Power Station was awarded the Christopher Hinton trophy in recognition of good housekeeping.

The power plant is the largest of its kind in England and Wales. The plant has generated renewable energy by using rainwater that falls on the surrounding mountains since 1962. The plant is made up of an interconnected group of reservoirs, dams, pipelines, aqueducts and power stations and covers a total area of 162 square kilometres. The upper reaches of the scheme are over 750 meters above sea level up in the remote Plynlimon mountain range. A series of aqueducts collects the water and channels it into the Nant-Y-Moch reservoir. Water flows from this reservoir to a power station at Dinas where it drives a 13,000 KW generator. From the power station, the water flows into Dinas reservoir. Dinas reservoir supplies water to the largest power station at Cwm Rheidol where there are two 20,500 KW generators. At Cwm Rheidol a further reservoir has been created to avoid large variations in the flow of water. This reservoir collects water that flows through the power station and releases it slowly through a 1,000 KW generator.

References

  1. ↑ "Rheidol official publicity" (PDF). Retrieved 24 November 2017.
  • "Rheidol Hydro". E.ON UK. Retrieved 27 April 2011.
  • "Statkraft in Wales". Statkraft. Retrieved 27 April 2011.
  • "Welcome to Rheidol" (PDF). Statkraft. Retrieved 27 April 2011.
  • "NEW HYDRO-ELECTRIC PLAN FOR NORTH WALES: Power From the Rheidol and Ystradau". The Manchester Guardian. 7 Sep 1954. Missing or empty |url= (help)


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