Its features …

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Serre-Ponçon in a few figures

  •   Start of the construction works: 1955
  •   Start impoundment of the reservoir: 16 November 1959
  •   End of the works: 1961 commissioning of the groups:  between 1960 and 1961
  •   Average annual production: 720 GWh

The Lake

  • Lake surface : 2,800 acres to level 780 (similar to Lake Annecy )
  •  Length: 19 km
  •  Capacity of the lake: 1,27 billion m³ ( largest artificial dam in Europe land )
  •  Reserve for agriculture : 200 million m³ (mobilisable between the 1st of July and the 30th of September)

The dam

It is a dam in alluvium with central impervious core

  • Height above the coat : 123 m
  • Width of the dam in crest : 600 m
  • Thickness of the dam at the base : 650 m
  • Volume of the Dam: 14 million m³ (6 times the volume of the Great Pyramid of Cheops ), including 2 million for the impervious core.

The factory

  • The access gallery to the factory is 100 m long and 40 m² in section
  • Power: 360 MW (4 turbines Francis of 84 MW ) • Average production: 720 million kilowatt / hours
  • Maximum Drop Height : 123 m
  • Flow of 300 m³ / second