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Gitaru Hydroelectric Power Station

Coordinates:00°47′43″S37°45′09″E/ 0.79528°S 37.75250°E/-0.79528; 37.75250
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Gitaru Hydroelectric Power Station
Gitaru Hydroelectric Power Station is located in Kenya
Gitaru Hydroelectric Power Station
Location of Gitaru Hydroelectric Power Station in Kenya
CountryKenya
LocationEmbu County/Machakos County
Coordinates00°47′43″S37°45′09″E/ 0.79528°S 37.75250°E/-0.79528; 37.75250
PurposePower
StatusOperational
Construction began1975
Opening date1978;46 years ago(1978)
Owner(s)Kenya Electricity Generating Company
Dam and spillways
Type of damreservoir
ImpoundsTana River
Height30 m (98 ft)
Length580 m (1,900 ft)
Spillway capacity4,500 m3/s (160,000 cu ft/s)
Reservoir
Total capacity16,000,000 m3(13,000 acre⋅ft)
Normal elevation924 m (3,031 ft)
Gitaru Hydroelectric Power Station
Coordinates00°47′43″S37°45′09″E/ 0.79528°S 37.75250°E/-0.79528; 37.75250
Operator(s)Kenya Electricity Generating Company
Commission date1999 (Unit 3)
TypeRun-of-the-river
Hydraulic head136 m (446 ft)
Turbines2 x 72 MW, 1 x 81 MWFrancis-type
Installed capacity225 MW (302,000 hp)

TheGitaru Hydroelectric Power Station,also known as theGitaru Dam,is a rock and earth-filledembankment damon theTana Riverin Kenya. It straddles the border betweenEmbuandMachakosCounties in the formerEastern Province.The primary purpose of the dam ishydroelectricpower generation. It supports a 225 megawatt power station.[1]

Location

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The power station is located approximately 16.5 kilometres (10 mi), by road, east of the town ofMavuriain Embu County.[2]This is approximately 161 kilometres (100 mi), by road, northeast ofNairobi,Kenya's capital city.[3]The geographical coordinates of Gitaru Power Station are:00°47'43.0 "S, 37°45'09.0" E (Latitude:-0.795278; Longitude:37.752500).[4]

History

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Construction of the dam began in 1975 and was completed in 1978. The third generating set, mobilizing the full potential of the power station was not commissioned until 1999.[5]TheWorld Banklent US$63 million towards the development of this power station. The station is operated by theKenya Electricity Generating Companyand is part of theSeven Forks Scheme.[6]

Overview

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The 30 m (98 ft) tall dam holds a 16,000,000 m3(13,000 acre⋅ft) reservoir. The relatively small reservoir relies on steady releases from theMasingaandKamburuDams upstream. Thereservoirpower station islocated undergroundnear the leftabutmentand contains two 72 megawatt and one 81 megawattFrancis turbine-generators. Water released from the station is returned to the Tana at theKindaruma Reservoirvia a 4.7 km (2.9 mi) long tailrace tunnel. The difference in elevation between the reservoir and power station affords a nethydraulic headof 136 m (446 ft).[7]

See also

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References

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  1. ^KenGen (2010)."About Gitaru Hydroelectric Power Station".Nairobi:Kenya Electricity Generating Company.Retrieved28 September2020.
  2. ^"Road Distance Between Mavuria And Gitaru Hydroelectric Power Station"(Map).Google Maps.Retrieved28 September2020.
  3. ^"Road Distance Between Nairobi And Gitaru Hydroelectric Power Station"(Map).Google Maps.Retrieved28 September2020.
  4. ^"Location of Gitaru Hydroelectric Power Station"(Map).Google Maps.Retrieved28 September2020.
  5. ^KenGen (17 April 2016)."History of Gitaru Hydroelectric Power Station".Nairobi:Kenya Electricity Generating Company.Archived fromthe original(Archived from the original on 17 April 2016)on 17 April 2016.Retrieved28 September2020.
  6. ^World Bank (1975)."Kenya - Gitaru Hydroelectric Project (English)".Washington, DC:World Bank.Retrieved28 September2020.
  7. ^"Kenya - Appraisal of the Gitaru Hydroelectric Project"(PDF).World Bank.23 May 1975. pp. Annex 5.Retrieved21 February2015.