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| Rance Tidal Power Station | |
|---|---|
 Aerial photograph of the Rance Tidal Power Station. | |
| Official name | Usine marémotrice de la Rance |
| Country | France |
| Location | Brittany |
| Coordinates | 48°37′05″N 02°01′24″W / 48.61806°N 2.02333°WCoordinates: 48°37′05″N 02°01′24″W / 48.61806°N 2.02333°W |
| Status | Operational |
| Construction began | 26 July 1963 |
| Opening date | 26 November 1966 |
| Construction cost | ₣620 million |
| Owner(s) | Électricité de France |
| Dam and spillways | |
| Type of dam | Barrage |
| Length | 700 m (2,300 ft) |
| Reservoir | |
| Tidal range | 8 m (26 ft) |
| Power Station | |
| Type | Tidal barrage |
| Turbines | 24 |
| Installed capacity | 240 MW |
| Capacity factor | 28% |
| Annual generation | 500 GWh |
The Rance Tidal Power Station is a tidal power station located on the estuary of the Rance River in Brittany, France.
Opened in 1966 as the world's first[1] tidal power station, it is currently operated by Électricité de France and was for 45 years the largest tidal power station in the world by installed capacity until the South Korean Sihwa Lake Tidal Power Station surpassed it in 2011.[2][3]
Its 24 turbines reach peak output at 240 megawatts (MW) and average 57 MW, a capacity factor of approximately 24%. At an annual output of approximately 500 GWh (491 GWh in 2009, 523 GWh in 2010), it supplies 0.12% of the power demand of France. The power density is of the order of 2.6 W/m2. The cost of electricity production is estimated at €0.12/kWh.
The barrage is 750 m (2,461 ft) long, from Brebis point in the west to Briantais point in the east. The power plant portion of the dam is 332.5 m (1,091 ft) long and the tidal basin measures 22.5 km2 (9 sq mi).
History[edit]
Ранняя попытка построить приливную электростанцию была предпринята в Aber Wrac'h в Finistère в 1925 году, но из-за недостаточного финансирования она была заброшена в 1930 году. Планы для этой электростанции послужили черновиком для последующих работ. Использование приливной энергии - не совсем новая концепция, поскольку приливные мельницы давно существуют в районах, подверженных приливам , особенно вдоль реки Ранс .
Идея построения приливной электростанции на даты Ранса Жерар Boisnoer в 1921 году сайта была привлекательной из-за широкий средний диапазона между низким и высоким уровнем прилива, 8 м (26,2 фута) с максимальным перигейной сизигией диапазоном 13,5 м (44,3 фута). Первые исследования, в которых предполагалось установить приливную установку на Рансе, были проведены Обществом по изучению использования приливов в 1943 году. Тем не менее, работы фактически не начинались до 1961 года. Альберт Како, дальновидный инженер, сыграл важную роль в строительстве дамбы, спроектировав ограждение, чтобы защитить строительную площадку от океанских приливов и сильных течений. Строительство потребовало осушения территории, где должен был быть построен завод, что потребовало строительства двух плотин, что заняло два года. Строительство завода началось 20 июля 1963 года, когда Ранс был полностью перекрыт двумя дамбами.
Construction took three years and was completed in 1966. Charles de Gaulle, then President of France, inaugurated the plant on 26 November of the same year. Inauguration of the road crossing the plant took place on 1 July 1967, and connection of the plant to the French National Power Grid was carried out on 4 December 1967. In total, the plant cost ₣620 million (approximately €94.5 million). It took almost 20 years for the La Rance to pay for itself.
Assessments[edit]
In spite of the high development cost of the project, the costs have now been recovered, and electricity production costs are lower than that of nuclear power generation (1.8 ¢/kWh versus 2.5 ¢/kWh for nuclear).[4] However, the capacity factor of the plant is 28%, lower than 85-90% for nuclear power.
Environmental impact[edit]
The barrage has caused progressive silting of the Rance ecosystem. Sand-eels and plaice have disappeared, though sea bass and cuttlefish have returned to the river. By definition, tides still flow in the estuary and the operator, EDF, endeavours to adjust their level to minimize the biological impact.
Tourist attraction[edit]
The facility attracted approximately 40,000 visitors in 2011. A lock for navigation at the west end of the dam allows the passage of 1,600-tonne vessels between the English Channel and the Rance. Departmental road 168 crosses the dam and allows vehicles to travel between Dinard and Saint-Malo. There is a drawbridge where the road crosses the lock which is raised to allow larger vessels to pass. The Rance estuary is the first part of the inland waterway from the English Channel to the Bay of Biscay via the Canal d'Ille-et-Rance and the river Vilaine.[5]
See also[edit]
- List of tidal power stations
- List of largest power stations in the world
- Renewable energy in France
References[edit]
- ^ "Wyre Tidal Energy". Archived from the original on 4 February 2015.
- ^ Yekang Ko and Derek K. Schubert (29 November 2011). "South Korea's Plans for Tidal Power: When a "Green" Solution Creates More Problems" (PDF). report. Nautilus Institute. Retrieved 27 May 2016.CS1 maint: uses authors parameter (link)
- ^ "Tidal giants - the world's five biggest tidal power plants" (PDF). report. power-technology.com. 11 April 2014. Retrieved 27 May 2016.[unreliable source?]
- ^ http://france.edf.com/html/en/decouvertes/voyage/usine/bilan/usine_bilan_d.html
- ^ Edwards-May, David (2010). Inland Waterways of France. St Ives, Cambs., UK: Imray. pp. 90–94. ISBN 978-1-846230-14-1.
External links[edit]
 | Wikimedia Commons has media related to Rance Tidal Power Station. |
- University of Strathclyde Rance Project (case study)
- EDF website
