PDF - 9Mo - Grande Dixence SA

GD. P.50To be able to use the LakeDix water, one new andthree original powerstations are needed2000 hours of turbiningThe 400 million m 3 stored in the Grande Dixence storagereservoir represent a tremendous energy potential.They account for no more and no less than onefifth of all the stored energy in Switzerland.In order to ensure the profitability of the hydropowerconcentrated in Lake Dix, Grande Dixence turbines thewater in two stages. First, at an altitude of about 1490 mat the Fionnay plant. Second, by the Rhône, 1000 mlower down, at the Nendaz plant.The Fionnay and Nendaz power plants relay each other,helped by the EOS-owned Chandoline power station,in order to transform this mass of water into electricityand tame this quiet power into producing billions ofkWh of energy.These three power plants have an overall generatingcapacity of 800 MW. With the existing turbines, runningat full strength, it takes over 2000 hours to emptythe lake created by the Grande Dixence dam.