This is an interesting story: Just before the confluence of the Tiétar and Tajo River, each river has a dam, the Torrejón Tajo and the Torrejón Tiétar. Both dams are connected by a central tunnel with a width of 20 meters, 100 meters in length and a maximum height of 40 meter ! The development is formed of two reservoirs and two dams, one on each river, with the power plant in-between. The water impounded by the Tajus Dam flows towards the power plant’s turbines, makes them rotate and converts the stored waters’ potential energy into kinetic energy. The turbines turn the generator as they rotate to produce electricity that is transported by power lines to consumer areas. The particular thing about this power plant is that it is reversible ! This means that besides transforming the potential energy of the water into electricity, it can also do the opposite. In other words, it can increase the waters’ potential energy by pumping it from the Tiéjar Reservoir to the Tajus Reservoir, located 20 meter above it, using electricity. This method helps meet demand for power at peak times and store power during off-peak hours. Pretty ingenious, no ? In the picture is the dam on the Tiéjar River.
Bike-A-Way 