Upper Kotmale Hydro Power Project

Field Visit Report

Name : S.P.M Sudasinghe
Index No. : 100523G
Field : EE
Date of submission : 2013/11/10

INTRODUCTION
Upper Kotmale hydropower project is a large hydroelectric dam under construction in
Talawakele, in Nuwara Eliya in the central province of Sri Lanka. It is planned to be completed in
late 2011, the facility will be the third largest hydroelectric dam in the country. Achieving
another milestone in the countrys development drive, the longest tunnel which would carry
water from the Kotmale reservoir to the underground power station under the Upper Kotmale
Hydro Power project which adds 150 MW of power to the national grid.
This project, estimated to cost Rs. 44 billion financed by the Government of Japan and Ceylon
Electricity. The construction began in 2006. But this concept is discussed for the first time of the
project by the Sri Lankan authorities in 1968 under the Mahaweli scheme. But this project was
not implemented in the framework of the accelerated Mahaweli Development Plan. As per the
provision in the National Environment Act of 1998, the Environment clearance was granted to
the Upper Kotmale Power Project. There were several objections to the project initially and they
were settled by the courts of law. The project was implemented under five phases.
The Japanese Government provided a loan of 33,265 million yen, while the CEB making
investment 5931 million rupees for this project. Upper Kotmale Power Plant expected to
generate 409 GWh of electricity annually from this project and the installed capacity 150MW.
The dam will be constructed across the stream Kotmale and the length of the dam is 180 meters
and the height is 35.5 meters.

















Figure 1: Upper Kotmale Hydro Power Proposal


Basic Project Cost : 40,000 Million Rs.
Regulating Pond : 0.8 MCM, 0.25 Sq.km
Plant Capacity : 2 x 75 MW
Annual Energy : 409 GWh
Full Supply Level : 1,194 masl
Min Operating Level : 1,190 masl
Tail Water Level : 703 masl
Net head at FSL : 473m
Max Plant discharge : 35.6 Cub. m/s
Plant factor : 31%

Main Intake Dam
Catchment Area = 310 km
2

Length of Dam = 180 m
Height of Dam = 33.5 m
Elevation of Dam top level = 1196.00
Swept Area of Reservoir = 0.25 km
2

Effective Storage = 0.8 MCM
Spillway Gates Capacity = 3300 m
3
/s
Average annual rain fall 2300 mm per year
Average annual inflow 17.8 m
3
/s
Run off type concrete gravity dam
Dam mainly consists of Spillways Gate, Main Out let Gates, Intake Gate, Sand Flush Gate, Flap
gate, Raking Equipment and Inspection Gallery. Spill way gate is Steel Radial type Gate which can
be used to release required flow rate by opening required height. Flap gate is used to control the
water level. Sand flush gate is used to flush out the sand after filling the sedimentation.











Tunnel
The 4.55.2 m (14.817.1 ft) diameter, 12.89 km (8.0 mi) long Upper Kotmale Tunnel, the
longest excavated tunnel in Sri Lanka, will be used to deliver the water to the powerhouse. The
tunnel begins at the dam site, and stretches north at a distance of approximately 7.4 km (4.6 mi)
towards Pundaluoya, before stretching a further 5.5 km (3.4 mi) north-west towards
Kumbaloluwa and ending up at its powerhouse at the Kotmale River near Niyamgamdora, at
approximately 070233N 803923E, 2 km (1.2 mi) downstream of the confluence of Pundal
River and the Kotmale River.
Surge tank is an opening of the tunnel used to reduce the damage from surges.










When there is weak rock, concrete layer is applied around the tunnel to increase the strength of
the tunnel









Turbine
Francis type turbine has been selected for Upper Kotmale power plant to accommodate future
Kotmale dam lifting for high loads and due its high efficiency. Spherical type valve, which is
suitable for high head has been selected as main inlet valve. Two Sealing rings, Upstream and
Downstream available to completely shut the water flow. Servomotor (Piston) operate the Main
Inlet Valve.
Figure 2: Intake Dam
Figure 3: Cross section view of tunnel, surge tank & penstock
Figure 4: Tunnel cross sectional view

Generator
Two 88,000 kVA alternating current generators of standard type are coupled to turbines to
generate power. (75 MW each)










Special Features in Generator at UKPS
Electrical Brake (first time in Sri Lanka)
PEEK Thrust Bearing
Carbon Duct Collector
Oil Mist Eliminator
PSS (Power System Stabilizer)















Figure 5: Standard type generator
Figure 6: Cross section of power cavern

Power Transformer
Power Transformer in Upper Kotmale is special three phase transformer (not 3 single phase or
single three phase transformer). Two power transformers are used for two generators.
Type : core type oil immersed
Capacity : 88 MVA
Vector group : Ynd11
HV side : 220 Kv
LV side : 13.8 Kv
Tap range : HV side +10% to -5% in 2.5 steps
Buchholz relay is used to protect the transformer from insulation failure faults.









Switchyard
SF6 is used as insulating medium for this indoor switchyard. It saves 5% floor space and 1%
volume than air insulated system. Protection devices such as CTs, Vts and Circuit breakers are
installed here.











To connect the separate units to transmission system two bus bars with bus coupler is used.

Figure 7: Buchholz relay
Figure 8: GIS Bay at UKHP











Transmission System
220 kV transmission line of Length -15.5 km is used to connect Upper Kotmale plant at
Niyamgamdora to substation of existing Kotmale power plant. Then power is transmitted from
there to Biyagama through existing transmission system. TDL, TD1, TD2, TD3 and TDT types of
towers are used. ACSR ZEBRA conductors are used and aluminum cladded steel wire is for earth
wire. Optical fiber cable is going through one conductor of this transmission system for
communication purposes. OPGW cable is used for that.

Communication System
Microwave Communication, Optical Fiber Communication and Flood Forecasting System (VHF)
are three communication systems used here.
Frequency Bands of 8363 MHz and 8482 MHz with 7 MHz bandwidth is used for micro wave
communication.it is a 2 Hops Link. Communication between Dam and power station is
accomplished with the help of intermediate hop located in Gongalla mountain and use line of
site communication.
Single mode optical fiber running middle of transmission conductor is used for optical fiber
communication between UKHP control room and Kotmale power plant. Early flood warning
system use VHF communication. Rain fall and water flow data are the inputs and 2D model of the
river and Forecasted Inflow is the output of the flood forecasting system.






Figure 9: Single line of UKHP

Energy generation Data













Figure 10 (a): Month vice average generation 2012
Figure 10 (b): Month vice average generation 2013

Social & Environmental Impact
The construction of the dam, tunnel, and powerhouse, required the relocation of families from
495 houses. New homes were built away from the site with access to vital facilities such as water
and power. The relocated families are provided with concessionary loans to start new self-
employment ventures, while additional facilities such as the Talawakele Central College, places
of worship, a cinema hall, a library, and a community centre, are being established.
Similar most other dam's impacts on rivers around the world, the Upper Kotmale Dam will
periodically stop the St. Clair's Falls, located 2.2 km downstream of the dam, and a further 2.9 km
of the Kotmale River downstream of St. Clairs Falls, before the river is restored by water from
the Devon River, the river forming the picturesque Devon Falls. As ordered by the Government
Extraordinary, the St. Clair's waterfall will maintain a continuous flow of 47,250 m
3
of water for
10 hours and 30 minutes daily, between sunrise and sunset. Upper Kotmale project has positive
impact on St, Claire waterfall because now the waterfall is available for dry season as well due to
release of water from reservoir.











References
Ceylon Electricity Board (2013) Upper Kotmale Hydropower Project Retrieved from
http://www.ukhp.lk/
Ministry of Power & energy, (2013) Second phase of Upper Kotmale Hydro Power
Generation, Retrieved November 05, 2013 from http://powermin.gov.lk/english/?p=565
Wikipedia (2013) Upper Kotmale Dam, Retrieved November 05, 2013 from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upper_Kotmale_Dam


Figure 11: Relocation of families