Canada tungsten miner Malaga Inc. announced the 600-kW Pasto Bueno hydroelectric project has been put into commercial operation on the Pelagatos River at Malaga's Pasto Bueno mining operation in northern Peru.
Hidropesac, Malaga's joint hydro venture with Emerging Power Developers S.A. (EPD) of Switzerland and Peru energy company Electrokraft S.A., brought the project's 450-kW horizontal and 150-kW vertical Pelton turbines fully on line in January. Stucky Ltd. of Switzerland assisted the development. Hidropesac invested more than US$3 million in the project.
The hydro project replaces a plant originally built in the 1950s that had an 800-kW installed capacity. (HNN 5/2/08) The renovated Pasto Bueno's two units operate under a head of 170 meters. The plant has a 22.9-kilovolt transmission line and two new 22.9-kilovolt/380-volt substations on the Huaura mining compound to supply an ore crushing plant and main mining galleries.
�The development of Pasto Bueno's hydroelectric potential will not only save the company a considerable amount of money, but will also allow it to reduce its emissions of greenhouse gases,� Malaga President Jean Martineau said. �Furthermore, Malaga is now 90 percent energy independent of the national power grid which will protect the company from any future increases in cost of energy.�
Malaga said construction of the hydro plant was financed through sale of carbon credits under the United Nations' Clean Development Mechanism. The project has led to a reduction of 4,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions per year by displacing fossil fueled generation at the mine site.
Malaga said Hidropesac now is planning Phase 2 of developing the hydroelectric potential of the Pelagatos River. It said a second hydro plant is planned that would fully meet the mine's power needs and would allow sale of additional power to the national grid.
Hidropesac, Malaga's joint hydro venture with Emerging Power Developers S.A. (EPD) of Switzerland and Peru energy company Electrokraft S.A., brought the project's 450-kW horizontal and 150-kW vertical Pelton turbines fully on line in January. Stucky Ltd. of Switzerland assisted the development. Hidropesac invested more than US$3 million in the project.
The hydro project replaces a plant originally built in the 1950s that had an 800-kW installed capacity. (HNN 5/2/08) The renovated Pasto Bueno's two units operate under a head of 170 meters. The plant has a 22.9-kilovolt transmission line and two new 22.9-kilovolt/380-volt substations on the Huaura mining compound to supply an ore crushing plant and main mining galleries.
�The development of Pasto Bueno's hydroelectric potential will not only save the company a considerable amount of money, but will also allow it to reduce its emissions of greenhouse gases,� Malaga President Jean Martineau said. �Furthermore, Malaga is now 90 percent energy independent of the national power grid which will protect the company from any future increases in cost of energy.�
Malaga said construction of the hydro plant was financed through sale of carbon credits under the United Nations' Clean Development Mechanism. The project has led to a reduction of 4,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions per year by displacing fossil fueled generation at the mine site.
Malaga said Hidropesac now is planning Phase 2 of developing the hydroelectric potential of the Pelagatos River. It said a second hydro plant is planned that would fully meet the mine's power needs and would allow sale of additional power to the national grid.
