1,333 MW Ingula Pumped Storage Scheme
Client
ESKOMLocation
Free State and KwaZulu-Natal, South AfricaHighlights
- 19th largest pumped storage scheme in the world
- Power station located 350 m underground (116 storeys)
- Machine Hall Cavern: largest excavated in mudrock in the world (183 m x 26 m x 55 m)
- Material excavated: 3 million m3
- Steel lining installed for waterways: 15,000 tonnes
- Tunnelling: more than 10 km
- Operating head range: 460-480 m
- Generating flow rate: 350 m3/s
- Pump rate: 241 m3/s
- Energy storage: 21,000 MWh (15.8 generating hours)
- Job opportunities created: 3,000
Project Overview
The Ingula Pumped Storage Scheme is an impressive 1,333 MW hydropower scheme, designed to augment the National Grid during peak power usage periods. This engineering innovation was a design created by a three-way joint venture among Knight Piésold, Royal HaskoningDHV, and GIBB (Pty) Ltd. The scheme is characterized by a lower reservoir (Bramhoek Dam), an upper reservoir (Bedford Dam), waterway tunnels, four 333 MW Francis pump turbines, an access tunnel, and a powerhouse cavern.
Project Role
Knight Piésold assisted with the geotechnical investigations, tender design, procurement, detailed engineering, and construction and commissioning supervision.
Engineering services were provided in three phases:
Phase 1: Project Optimization
- Geotechnical investigations – surface works
- Geotechnical investigations – underground works
- Exploratory tunnel
Phase 2: Tender Design
- Access and site roads
- Site infrastructure
- Upper and lower dams
- Underground works
- Hydromechanical and electrical works (performance specification)
Phase 3: Construction Stage Design, Monitoring, Supervision, and Sign-off
- Verification of design assumptions
- Foundation interfaces and design
- Rock interface and site influenced design
- Hydromechanical and electrical interfaces
- Construction drawings
- Construction supervision
- Record drawings
- Project sign-off
Awards
- South African Institution of Civil Engineering: SAICE Awards 2016, Winner in Technical Excellence Projects Category, Ingula Pumped Storage Scheme, Braamhoek Consultants Joint Venture (Knight Piésold, Royal HaskoningDHV, GIBB)
- South African Institution of Civil Engineering: SAICE Awards 2016, Winner in Water Engineering Projects Category, Ingula Pumped Storage Scheme, Braamhoek Consultants Joint Venture (Knight Piésold, Royal HaskoningDHV, GIBB)
- Consulting Engineers South Africa: 2016 Excellence Awards, Winner in "Projects with a value in excess of R250 million" Category, Ingula Pumped Storage Scheme, Braamhoek Consultants Joint Venture (Knight Piésold, Royal Haskoning DHV, GIBB)
- South African Institution of Civil Engineering: 2012 SAICE Annual Awards, Outstanding Civil Engineering Achievements Award in the Water Engineering Category, Ingula Pumped Storage Scheme, Bedford Dam (Braamhoek Consultants Joint Venture: GIBB, SSI, and Knight Piésold)
- Consulting Engineers South Africa: 2011 AON Engineering Excellence Awards, Winner in “Project with a value between R250 million and more” Category, Ingula Pumped Storage Scheme, Bedford Dam (Braamhoek Consultants Joint Venture: GIBB, SSI, and Knight Piésold)