Tignes Dam

Tignes Dam
The dam with faded Hercules fresco on face
Tignes Dam is located in France
Tignes Dam
Location of Tignes Dam in France
CountryFrance
LocationTignes
Coordinates45°29′40.82″N 6°55′54.47″E / 45.4946722°N 6.9317972°E / 45.4946722; 6.9317972
PurposePower
StatusOperational
Construction began1948
Opening date1952
Owner(s)Électricité de France
Dam and spillways
Type of damArch
ImpoundsIsère
Height180 m (590 ft)
Length296 m (971 ft)
Elevation at crest1,790 m (5,870 ft)
Width (crest)10 m (33 ft)
Width (base)43.57 m (142.9 ft)
Dam volume632,000 m3 (827,000 cu yd)
Reservoir
CreatesLac du Chevril
Total capacity230,000,000 m3 (186,464 acre⋅ft)
Catchment area171 km2 (66 sq mi)
Surface area2.74 km2 (1 sq mi)
Power Station
Operator(s)Électricité de France
Hydraulic headBrevieres: 233 m (764 ft)
Malgovert: 750 m (2,461 ft)
TurbinesBrevieres: 3 x 32 MW Francis-type
Malgovert: 4 x 83 MW Pelton-type
Installed capacityBrevieres: 96 MW
Malgovert: 332 MW[1]

The Tignes Dam, also known as the Chevril Dam, is an arch dam on the Isère in the municipality of Tignes in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France. In planning since the 1920s and under the protest of locals, the dam was constructed between 1948 and 1952 with the purpose of hydroelectric power. At the time of its completion, it was the tallest dam in Europe. Water from the dam's reservoir, Lac du Chevril, feeds two power stations, the 96 MW Brevieres Power Station and the 332 MW Malgovert Power Station, for a total installed capacity of 428 MW. The yearly average combined output of the two power stations is 94 MW.[2] Brevieres is located about 1 km (0.62 mi) downstream of the dam and Malgovert is also located downstream, 17 km (11 mi) to the northwest at 45°37′04.28″N 6°47′25.31″E / 45.6178556°N 6.7903639°E / 45.6178556; 6.7903639 (Malgovert Power Station). The dam was designed by Coyne & Bellier and is currently owned and operated by Électricité de France.[3] Lac du Chevril flooded the town of Tignes which was relocated nearby.

View of the dam taken from the Lac Du Chevril side

In 1989, in preparation for the 1992 Winter Olympics, Jean-Marie Pierret painted a fresco of the Olympian figure Hercules on the dam's face. The feat, by Pierret and eight other painters, took 60 days.[4]

The dam plays an important part in the French supernatural drama television series The Returned.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Rhône-Alpes -Tignes-Malgovert" (in French). Hydrelect. Retrieved 25 April 2013.
  2. ^ "EDF INVESTS IN THE MAINTENANCE AND MODERNISATION OF THE TIGNES-ALGOVERT HYDROELECTRIC COMPLEX" (PDF).
  3. ^ "Tignes Dam". Structurae. Retrieved 25 April 2013.
  4. ^ Weber, Bruce (5 November 1989). "WORKS IN PROGRESS; That Dammed Hercules By Bruce Weber". The New York Times. Retrieved 25 April 2013.
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Tignes Dam at Structurae. Retrieved 2013-04-24.