Palmiet Pumped Storage Scheme

Palmiet Pumped Storage Scheme
Dam and tower of the Palmiet Pumped Storage Scheme seen from the Palmiet River
Location of Palmiet Pumped Storage Scheme in South Africa
Location	Western Cape
Coordinates	34°11′52″S 18°58′27″E / 34.19782°S 18.97407°E / -34.19782; 18.97407
Status	Operational
Opening date	1988; 36 years ago (1988)
Operator(s)	Eskom
Upper reservoir
Creates	Rockview Dam
Total capacity	3 100 000 m3[1]
Lower reservoir
Creates	Kogelberg Dam
Power Station
Installed capacity	400 MW

The Palmiet Pumped Storage Scheme consists of two 200 megawatts (270,000 hp) turbine units located 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) upstream of the Kogelberg Dam on the Palmiet River near Cape Town, South Africa.^[2] The pumped-storage hydroelectricity plant is capable of responding to a surge in peak power demand in minutes.^[3] At night, excess power on the grid generated by conventional coal and nuclear plants is used to pump water to the upper Rockview Dam overlooking Gordon's Bay.

It is regarded^{[by whom?]} as a forerunner in environmental engineering. The whole Palmiet site is a conservation area and in December 1998 the area was declared a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO - the first in South Africa.

• Eskom
• List of hydropower stations in Africa

• Palmiet Pumped Storage Scheme on the Eskom-Website