View source for Palmiet Pumped Storage Scheme

{{Short description|Pumped storage hydroelectric plant in the Western Cape, South Africa}}
{{Use South African English|date = January 2024}}
{{Infobox hydroelectric power station
| location_map = South Africa
| coordinates = {{coord|34.19782|S|18.97407|E|type:landmark_region:ZA-WC|display=inline}}
| image_caption = Dam and tower of the Palmiet Pumped Storage Scheme seen from the Palmiet River
| plant_capacity = 400
| opening = {{Start date and age|1988}}
| operator = [[Eskom]]
| location = Western Cape
| status = O
| res_name = [[Rockview Dam]]
| res_capacity_total = 3 100 000 m<sup>3</sup><ref>{{Cite web |title=Eskom - Palmiet Pumped Storage Scheme |url=https://www.eskom.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Palmiet_Pumped_Storage_Scheme_Technical_information_-_P_1-8.pdf}}</ref>
| lower_res_name = [[Kogelberg Dam]]
| lower_res_capacity_total = 
}}The '''Palmiet Pumped Storage Scheme''' consists of two {{convert|200|MW}} turbine units located {{convert|2|km}} upstream of the [[Kogelberg Dam]] on the [[Palmiet River]] near [[Cape Town]], South Africa.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.eskom.co.za/Whatweredoing/ElectricityGeneration/PowerStations/Pages/Palmiet_Pumped_Storage_Scheme.aspx|title=Palmiet Pumped Storage Scheme|date=28 February 2023 |publisher=Eskom}}</ref> The [[pumped-storage hydroelectricity]] plant is capable of responding to a surge in peak power demand in minutes.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.eskom.co.za/AboutElectricity/FactsFigures/Documents/HY_0001PumpedStorageSchemeWaterTransferRev7.pdf|title=PUMPED STORAGE HYDROELECTRIC SCHEMES AND WATER TRANSFER|publisher=Eskom|access-date=2015-04-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150427111253/http://www.eskom.co.za/AboutElectricity/FactsFigures/Documents/HY_0001PumpedStorageSchemeWaterTransferRev7.pdf|archive-date=2015-04-27|url-status=dead}}</ref> At night, excess power on the grid generated by conventional coal and [[Koeberg Nuclear Power Station|nuclear plants]] is used to pump water to the upper [[Rockview Dam]] overlooking [[Gordon's Bay]].

It is regarded{{by whom|date=April 2015}} as a forerunner in [[environmental engineering]]. The whole Palmiet site is a conservation area and in December 1998 the area was declared a [[Biosphere Reserve]] by [[UNESCO]] - the first in South Africa.

== See also ==
{{stack|{{Portal|South Africa|Water|Renewable energy}}}}
* [[Eskom]]
* [[List of hydropower stations in Africa]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* [http://www.eskom.co.za/Whatweredoing/ElectricityGeneration/PowerStations/Pages/Palmiet_Pumped_Storage_Scheme.aspx Palmiet Pumped Storage Scheme ] on the [[Eskom]]-Website

{{Cape Town|services}}
{{Power in South Africa}}
{{Electricity generation}}

[[Category:Pumped-storage hydroelectric power stations in South Africa]]
[[Category:Elgin, Western Cape]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in the Western Cape]]
[[Category:Economy of the Western Cape]]