Bath County Tunnel System/Remedial Treatment Program

Kleiner, D. E.; Oechsel, R. G.; Wong, K. L.; Holst, N. B.; Stukey, A. H.; ,

Bath County Tunnel System/Remedial Treatment Program

by D. E. Kleiner, Harza Environmental Services, Chicago, IL, USA,
R. G. Oechsel, Harza Environmental Services, Chicago, IL, USA,
K. L. Wong, Harza Environmental Services, Chicago, IL, USA,
N. B. Holst, Harza Environmental Services, Chicago, IL, USA,
A. H. Stukey, Harza Environmental Services, Chicago, IL, USA,

Document Type: Proceeding Paper

Part of: Water Power '87

Abstract:

The Bath County Pumped Storage Project, owned jointly by Virginia Electric and Power Company and Allegheny Generating Company, is located 70 miles (112 km) north of Roanoke, Virginia. It is a six unit, pump-generating station rated at 2100 MW, the largest pumped-storage project in the world. Initial filling of one of the three power tunnels produced unacceptable amounts of leakage. In addition, seepage pressures buckled and ruptured a short section of one of the six steel penstock liners. The remedial treatment program that followed, included an extensive, high-pressure tunnel grouting program, and an expanded drainage and monitoring program. During the second filling, piezometer readings and penstock drainage tunnel flow rates generally increased with the reservoir level and operating head. On two occasions, however, piezometric increases adjacent to the upstream ends of the steel penstocks and within the surrounding rock mass have prompted additional drain hole and relief well drilling.

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