Pump storage unit of Baixo Sabor.

Baixo Sabor is located on the Sabor river, a right tributary of the Douro, in the municipality Torre de Moncorvo.

Baixo Sabor started operations in 2016 and improved the operational management of the Douro basin. The pump storage system is a combination of an arch gravity concrete dam and a reversible power plant. It has an installed capacity of 144 MW. The powerhouse was built underground and comprises two installed Francis reversible turbines of 72 MW each.

The concrete dam is 123 meters high and has a crest length of 505 meters. The reservoirs can store in total 1,095 million cubic meters of water which makes Baixo Sabor the third largest reservoir of Portugal.

 

Key figures

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  • Installed capacity: 144 MW

  • Average Production: 191 GWh/year

  • Number and power of turbines: 2
    (2 x 72 MW)

  • Group Type: Reversible turbine

Dam & reservoir features

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  • Type: Double Curvature Arch

  • Material: concrete

  • Height: 123 m

  • Crest length: 505 m

  • Effective storage: 1275 million m³