Monasavu Dam

Monasavu Dam
Location of Monasavu Dam in Fiji
Country Fiji
Location Naitasiri Province
Coordinates 17°45′23.95″S 178°03′00.57″E / 17.7566528°S 178.0501583°E / -17.7566528; 178.0501583Coordinates: 17°45′23.95″S 178°03′00.57″E / 17.7566528°S 178.0501583°E / -17.7566528; 178.0501583
Purpose Power
Status Operational
Construction began May 1978
Opening date 1983 (1983)
Construction cost US$234 million
Owner(s) Fiji Electricity Authority
Dam and spillways
Type of dam Embankment, rock-fill
Impounds Nanuku River
Height 60 m (200 ft)
Length 200 m (660 ft)
Reservoir
Creates Monasavu Reservoir
Total capacity 133,000,000 m3 (108,000 acre·ft)
Power station
Name Wailoa Hydro Power Station
Coordinates 17°44′10.22″S 178°06′06.18″E / 17.7361722°S 178.1017167°E / -17.7361722; 178.1017167
Commission date 1983
Hydraulic head 625 m (2,051 ft)
Turbines 4 x 20 MW (27,000 hp) Pelton-type
Installed capacity 80 MW (110,000 hp)

The Monasavu Dam is a rock-fill embankment dam on the Nanuku River about 60 kilometres (37 mi) northwest of Suva in Naitasiri Province, Fiji. It is located just above the Monasavu Falls and is both the tallest and largest dam, which also withholds the largest reservoir in the country. The primary purpose of the dam is to produce hydroelectric power and it supports an 80 megawatts (110,000 hp) power station. To offset fossil fuel imports for power production on the island, the Monasavu-Wailoa Hydroelectric Project was authorized by the Fiji Electricity Authority in 1977 and construction began in May 1978.[1] The dam was complete and power station commissioned in 1983.[2] About US$15 million of the project's total US$234 million cost was supplied by the World Bank, the rest by the host government and loans.

Wailoa Hydro Power Station

Water from the dam is diverted through nearly 5.4 kilometres (3.4 mi) of tunnels to the Wailoa Hydro Power Station to the east on the Wailoa River. The power station contains four 20 megawatts (27,000 hp) Pelton turbine-generators and the drop in elevation between the reservoir and power station affords a hydraulic head (water drop) of about 625 metres (2,051 ft).[3] In 1992, the power station was supplying 92% of Viti Levu's, the main Fiji island, power. This share dropped to 49% in 2006 due to growing power demand.[4]

See also

References

  1. "Hydro". Fiji Electricity Authority. Retrieved 17 April 2014.
  2. "Fiji seeks design to expand 80-MW Wailoa". 29 September 2006. Retrieved 17 April 2014.
  3. "Monasavu-Wailoa Hydroelectric Project" (PDF). World Bank. 22 May 1978. Retrieved 17 April 2014.
  4. Singh, Anirudh (21 February 2008). "Why FEA stands out among its peers". The Fiji Times. Retrieved 17 April 2014.
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