Energy Vol. 18, No. 6. pp. 699-702, 1993 Printed in Great Britain. All rights rescrved

0360-5442/93 $6.00 t O.oU Copyright @ 1993 Pcrgamon Press Ltd

NOTE

,DEVELOPMENT OF SMALL HYDROPOWER IN TijRKiYE

E. TASDEMIROGLU

Mechanical Engineering Department, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Tiirkiye

(Received 23 November 1992)

Abstract-The hydropower potential of Tiirkiye has been reviewed and indicates the importance of small hydropower development. The following topics are discussed: data collection, planning, operation and maintenance, multi-purpose utilization, skilled man- power, integration into the national network, and management. Small hydropower plants are a key policy issue in the development of rural areas.

THE ROLE OF HYDROPOWER IN ELECTRICITY GENERATION

Electricity consumption in a nation is one of the main indicators showing the level of overall

development. Per capita electricity consumption in Turkiye has increased from 277 kWh in

1973 to 819 kWh in 1990.’ This last figure is very low, about one-fifth of that of industrialized

nations.

Table 1 shows the main energy resources used in electricity generation in 1990. About 40%

of the total electricity generated is from hydroelectric plants. The balance is produced by

thermal-power generation. The contribution of geothermal energy is negligible. The currently

installed capacity of hydroelectric plants, 6764MW, utilizes only 13.6% of the gross

hydropower potential.

Many attempts have been made to estimate the gross hydropower potential of the country.2m’

The average of these estimates is about 50 GW, which is distributed over 26 main river zones.’

The gross hydropower-generation capacity of these sites is about 432 TWh/yr or nearly 1 C/o of

that of the world. Of this, about 112TWh/yr could be economically viable.

Fifty-nine hydroelectric plants are now in operation, and 418 projects are at different stages

of development.’ The total generating capacity of these plants is about 35 GW. Of this, 1 .X% is

supplied by small hydropower plants (SHP) with individual capacities less than 10 MW. The

remainder, 15 GW or perhaps more, of the total gross hydropower potential has not yet been

evaluated. Some of this potential will be tapped by the installation of SHPs.# According to

another estimate, SHPs can provide 5% of the total power resources in the country.’ Due to

the unavailability of data for small streams, the potential of SHPs has not been accurately

established.

PRESENT STATUS OF DEVELOPMENT

Small hydropower development in Tiirkiye was initiated in 1902. Since then, many

decentralized plants have been installed by municipalities in rural areas, private entrepreneurs,

and some governmental organizations.

Existing SHPs are classified in Table 2.“’ Units of less than 100 kW are called micro-plants,

those between 101 and 1000 kW are mini-plants, and those between 1001 and 10,000 kW are

small plants. 699

700 Note

Table 1. Main energy resources used for electricity generation in Tiirkiye

during 1990.

Energy source

Installed Electricity

capacity generation

(MW) (GWh)

Coal 332 621

Lignite 48% 19,651

Petroleum 2098 3942 NG 2210 10,192

Geothermal 15 80 Hydropower 6764 23,148

Total 16,315 57,544

Several observations can be made in view of Table 2. Both the numbers and installed capacities of the existing SHPs are very small compared to the actual potential. Of 185 existing SHPs, only 75 are in regular operation. Problems exist mainly with the operation of mini- and micro-plants. Approximately 16% of the potential is lost.

The national energy plan aims to harness 56% of the total hydropower potential by 2010, giving priority to large-scale projects.’ The Atatiirk Dam with a 2.4 GW potential in southeast Anatolia is one of the most vital projects in the country’s overall development and is expected to be commissioned within a year.

After sites with greater generating capacities have been exploited, the development of SHPs will be seriously considered and existing problems associated with small hydropower develop- ment should be classified.

PROBLEMS IN SMALL HYDROPOWER DEVELOPMENT

There are problems in the development and utilization of SHPs, which will now be summarized.

Data on hydrological, geological, and topographical features are usually lacking or else have not been taken over sufficiently long periods of time at low-potential sites. Especially flow data are not fully available for small streams. Some SHPs were constructed before the necessary data had been collected. As the sites were not well selected, landslides and deposition of dregs in intake pipes and in the reservoirs have been observed. These caused considerable damage to the systems.

Table 2. Small hydropower plants in Tiirkiye (1991).

Hydropower generation

Total number of

plants

Number of operating

plants

Number of plants

possible to operate

Number of

plants not

operating

Total installed

capacity

(kW)

Approxi-

mate lost

capacity

(kW)

Micro 73 7 33 33 4619 4203 Mini 89 45 20 24 27,457 13,454 Small 23 23 - - 80,392 -

Total 185 75 53 57 112,468 17,657

Note 701

Planning

Once the site is specified, selecting the type of structures and equipment, matching the potential to local energy and water needs, and comparing the technical-economic viability of the SHP with alternatives become the main concerns. The power requirements at some localities where SHPs have been constructed were not well estimated. As time progressed, SHPs did not satisfy the electricity needs of growing populations at these sites. Therefore. no further effort has been devoted to their continued operation and some SHPs were abandoned.

Operation and maintenance

Successful operation of an SHP requires periodic maintenance of the main electromechanical equipment and its auxiliaries. Since most of this equipment was imported from foreign countries, its maintenance is more costly for SHPs than is the maintenance of large hydroelectric power plants. Limestone depositions in pipes, penstocks, and valves have been common problems observed in SHPs. Replacement or cleaning of this equipment has increased system costs. Another important problem is sediment deposition in the intake pipes and diversion canals, which has resulted in the abandonment of some SHPs.

Multi-purpose utilization

Full utilization of the SHP potential in combination with water utilization for other purposes such as irrigation, fishing, navigation, etc. should be ensured before construction. Some SHPs have been used to provide water for drinking and agriculture, which are the primary requirements of growing rural populations. In these areas, SHPs have lost their power- generating ability. Thus, considerable amounts of investments made for power-generation have been wasted.

Skilled manpower

There are several procedures to train SHP personnel technically, including education at institutes of higher learning, extramural courses, and on-the-job training. These training facilities have not been adequately supplied and the needed number of technical personnel for work on operation and maintenance of SHPs has not been sufficient. Available technicians have mostly been used in large hydropower stations. All these factors have created a major problem in finding skilled manpower for the continuous operation and maintenance of SHPs.

Integration into the national grid

National policy supports integration of SHPs into the national grid. The formation of a local network and its connection to the national grid would help meet electricity demands in rural areas and promote the development of agriculture. On the other hand, some proposed SHP projects were postponed due to high transmission and connection costs. At the present time, the feasibility of integration of an SHP into the national grid becomes questionable. According to a recent survey, integration of all villages into the national network caused a loss of about 623 MW of power potential.” Decentralized SHPs may provide local needs in many areas and they would not necessarily be connected to the national grid.

Management

SHPs have been operated by different municipalities and village commissions for many years. The lack of central authority, managerial regulations, and technical staff prevented rural people from understanding the importance of periodic maintenance. Thus, many SHPs were not operated under optimum working conditions and their net power outputs were considerably degraded.

702 Note

CONCLUSIONS

Past experience should help to solve problems associated with the development of SHPs. SHP projects should be planned and directed as an important factor to supply growing energy requirements. They should be considered as a part of the nation-wide grid and constitute an integral part of the country’s development plan. Of course, the development of SHPs is not a unique solution. Advantages of SHPs include the following: (i) water power is a cheap, clean and a renewable energy resource. Renewable energies may play a crucial role in preventing air pollution in rural areas. (ii) Agriculture and animal husbandry are very important in the Turkish economy. Multi-purpose SHP designs will promote the efficient use of water resources for farmland, thus meeting requirements for the rapid development of agriculture. In rural areas, irrigation can be rapidly developed and the means of protection against floods and droughts improved. (iii) The topography of Anatolia is highly diversified and mountainous, especially in the eastern regions where small streams and rivers are abundant. Many suitable catchment areas exist short distances from the rural centers. Operational costs and transmission losses will be relatively small in these areas. (iv) SHPs can be operated independently of the national grid, provide both the power and water requirements for isolated areas, and promote the development of rural electrification and mechanization. Power supplied by SHPs will enrich and promote the cultural life of the people and speed up the modernization of villages. (v) SHPs have lower operational and maintenance costs than large hydroelectric stations. Solid constructions will have long lifetimes if periodic maintenance is performed. (vi) The industry of the country is capable of manufacturing small-scale turbine-generator sets, as well as the needed auxiliary equipment. Increasing the number of SHP units will promote local industry, reduce foreign import costs, and create new working areas for unemployed rural people.

REFERENCES

1. WECTC (World Energy Conference Turkish Committee), “Energy Report 1990” (in Turkish), Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, Ankara, Tiirkiye (1992).

2. United Nations, “Extension of the General Study to Tiirkiye,” UN Economic Commission for Europe, Report No. E/ECE/EP/131, Genke, Switzerland (1955).

3. Electricitb de France and ETIBANK, “Plan General d’Elecrification de la Turquie, “Electricite de France, Paris, France (1957).

4. K. Gngiin, “Hydroelectric Resources of Tiirkiye” (in Turkish), 4th Turkish Energy Conference, Vol. l,, pp. 233-264, Izmir, Ttirkiye (1986).

5. U. Ozis, “Hydropower Potential of Ttirkiye” (in Turkish), Hydroelectric Energy Symposium, pp. l-30, Ankara, Tiirkiye (1985).

6. H. Erke and N. Senyali, “Hydroelectric Energy Potential of Ttirkiye” (in Turkish), 5th Turkish Energy Conference, Technical Presentations 2, pp. 77-95, Ankara, Tiirkiye (1990).

7. E. Ta$demiroglu, Energy--The International Journal W, 549 (1988). 8. K. Yildiz, “Calculation Methods for Small Hydropower Plants” (in Turkish), 4th Turkish Energy

Conference, Poster Presentations, pp. 71-93, Izmir, Tiirkiye (1986). 9. WECTC (World Energy Conference Turkish Committee), “Small Hydro Plants-Open Discussion”

(in Turkish), Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, Ankara, Ttirkiye (17 February 1982). 10. H. Basegme, “Applications, Problems, and Improvement Possibilities for Small Hydropower Plants

in Tiirkiye” (in Turkish), pp. 188-193 in Ref. 6. 11. M. Tiirksoy and A. G. &gun, “Possibilities of Hydropower Generation from Small Plants in

Ttirkiye” (in Turkish), pp. 129-157 in Ref. 6.