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  First filling of hydraulic tunnels of Venda Nova III hydropower scheme

  Venda Nova III reversible hydroelectric power scheme presents features that make it an interesting case study. Worth mentioning are the slope and the length of the 12 m diameter unlined hydraulic circuit, the high water head, the great depth of the powerhouse cavern and the proximity to the hydraulic circuit of Venda Nova II. In this type of projects, the main effect of the internal water pressure in the pressure tunnel is the establishment of a water flow from the tunnel into the rock mass, which can reach other openings, such as adits and the powerhouse complex. This article presents the main features of the underground structures of the Venda Nova III scheme, describes the procedures undertaken during the first filling of the hydraulic circuit, the procedures for emptying and refilling the pressure tunnel, as well as the circumstances that led to it. Behavior observed during the filling-emptying-refilling sequence is also presented.

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