The Yusufeli hydroelectric power project (HEPP) under construction in the Artvin province of Turkey involves an arch dam along with a 558MW hydropower plant on the Coruh River.
The project is owned by the General Directorate of State Hydraulic Works (DSI) Turkey, while a consortium of Limak Constructions, Cengiz Constructions, and Kolin Construction Company has been engaged in building the facility.
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The construction works on the project were started with a ground-breaking ceremony held in February 2013, with the start of commercial operations expected by June 2021.
At full capacity, the Yusufeli hydroelectric power station is expected to generate approximately one billion and 888 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity annually.
Location and site details
The Yusufeli dam and hydroelectric power project is located on the Çoruh River, approximately 10km downstream of Yusufeli, in the Artvin province, in the eastern Black Sea region of Turkey.
The project site lies upstream of the Borçka, Muratli, and the Deriner hydroelectric power plants.
Yusufeli hydroelectric power project make-up
The Yusufeli hydroelectric power project comprises a 275m-tall double curvature concrete arch dam and a power plant equipped with three 186MW vertical-axis Francis turbine units. Each turbine unit is designed to operate at a rated head of 191m and a rated discharge of 107m3/s.
The Yusufeli Dam created a 33.63km2 reservoir area with a total storage capacity of approximately 2.2 billion cubic metres (bcm). The maximum crest elevation and the crest length of the dam are 715m and 490m respectively.
The dam project also involves four balanced cantilever viaducts, including the 644m-long Tekkale viaduct, the 695m-long Yusufeli viaduct, the 340m-long Yusufeli dam viaduct, and the 530m-long Şilenkar viaduct, along with the construction of 110km of roads, 45 tunnels, 22 bridges, and 92 culverts.
The other components of the project include the main power transformers, a 380kV switchyard, along measuring and protection equipment.
Power evacuation
The power generated from the Yusufeli hydroelectric power station will be evacuated through a 380kV power transmission line.
Construction equipment used
The construction equipment used for the Yusufeli hydroelectric project included one 12tonne (t) 280 EC-H tower crane, two 10t 200 EC-H tower cranes, and four 6t 154 EC-H tower cranes. Five tower cranes were also used for the construction of roads as part of the project.
Contractors involved
A joint venture of Limak Constructions, Cengiz Constructions, and Kolin Construction Company was awarded a contract worth approximately £167.50m ($266.74m) by the General Directorate of State Hydraulic Works for the development of Yusufeli dam and hydroelectric power project in November 2012.
Andritz Hydro was contracted by the Limak-Cengiz-Kolin consortium for the design, manufacturing, supply, installation, and commissioning of the electromechanical equipment for the project in 2015.
Andritz Hydro also received an order for the supply of intake structure, penstocks, along with gates, embedded parts, grip beams, trash racks, spillway, radial gates, hydraulic lifting systems, and slide valves in September 2016.
Su-Yapi was contracted by Limak Construction Company for the preparation of detailed design and consultancy services for the Yusufeli dam, while IC Consultant, Austria, was subcontracted by Su-Yapi for the engineering and geological consultancy services of the project.
ARQ Consulting Engineers was responsible for the detailed final structural and thermal design analysis along with assistance in construction plant design and specification.
Nurol Construction Company was awarded a contract worth approximately £76.00m ($98.37m) by DSI for four 152m-high viaducts in July 2017, while Gulsan Company partnered for the construction works of Yusufeli dam bridges.
Botek Bosphorus Technical Consulting Corporation provided project consultancy services for the preliminary and final design of the dam access roads.
Liebherr supplied 12 tower cranes for the construction works of the Yusufeli dam and roads, while Sangari supplied inclinometers, extensometers, joint gauges, water level gauges, and piezometers for the project.
