PROJECT DESIGN AND CHALLENGES FACED IN RIVER

DIVERSION OF TELES PIRES HYDRO POWER PLANT

Luisa R. S. Guimarães*, Roberto E. Bertol* and Paulo H. Povh*

*
Intertechne Consultores S.A.
Av. Iguaçu, 100, 80230-020 Curitiba, Brasil
e-mail: lrsg@intertechne.com.br, webpage: www.intertechne.com.br

Keywords: Dams, River Diversion, Diversion Tunnels

Abstract. The Teles Pires Hydro Power Plant, located in the border between Mato
Grosso and Pará states, has an installed capacity of 1.820 MW and started operating in
January 2015. Three tunnels with 15 meters in diameter are responsible by the river
diversion, built to handle an outflow of approximately 8.200 m³/s. The closure operation
of the tunnels and filling the Teles Pires reservoir were critical because of the marked
seasonality of the Teles Pires River’s flows and the necessity to keep a very high
environmental flow of 560 m 3/s during impounding. The need to change the moment of
closure demanded the development of alternative actions that would make the tunnels
closure feasible, maintaining the safety during the operations as well as the outcome of
the original project. Additionally, the diversion tunnels appropriate hydraulic behaviors
during a severe flood event that occurred during construction concurs to validate the
design of the project.
The following article presents some of the challenges faced during the final diversion
closure period, the construction aspects and the structures conceptions and operations .
1 INTRODUCTION
The Teles Pires Hydro Power Plant is located in the Teles Pires River, roughly 330 km
upstream from the confluence with the Juruena River, in which both form the Tapajos River.
The axis of the Teles Pires Dam is situated on the border between Mato Grosso (MT) and
Para (PA) states, at the municipalities of Paranaita-MT and Jacareacanga-PA (Figure 1).

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 Luisa R. S. Guimarães, Roberto E. Bertol and Paulo H. Povh

Figure 1: Teles Pires River – Dam Location

2 GENERAL DESCRIPTION
The general layout of the Teles Pires HPP (Figure2) comprises a concrete dam in the
riverbed and earth core rockfill dams alongside both riverbanks. The gated spillway, located
on the concrete dam, possesses four radial gates.
With an installed capacity of 1.820 MW, the powerhouse has five generating units and is
located on the right bank.
The construction begins with the excavation of the diversion tunnels, located on the left
bank and the power circuit on the right bank, keeping the river on the original bed. On the
appropriate moment, the river is diverted through the tunnels and the construction of the dam
and spillway is performed.

Figure 2: Aerial View of Teles Pires HPP

3 MAIN FEATURES OF THE RIVER DIVERSION

The protection criteria for river diversion was a 50-year annual flood, estimated in 8.239
m³/s.
The consolidated basic design defined the construction of four diversion tunnels on the left
bank with a typical D shape 14m high, wide and in diameter. Three of these tunnels had
concrete structures for closure, with two gates 5,75m wide and 14m high each. The fourth
tunnel closure was designed to be made by cofferdams. After the closure, a concrete plug
definitely closed all tunnels.
During detailed design, in order to reduce open-air and underground excavations, the
number of tunnels was changed to three, with a D shape 16m high, 15m wide and in

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 Luisa R. S. Guimarães, Roberto E. Bertol and Paulo H. Povh

diameter. The dimension of the three concrete structures for closure were maintained, given
the stage of the design of the electromechanical equipment. Figures 4 and 5 shows the layout
of diversion for basic and detailed design.
3 HYDROLOGY
The hydrology studies of Teles Pires HPP presented the following values for average daily
flows, as illustrated in the hydrographs showing in the Figure 3. The hydrology studies
defined also annual and seasonal floods, presented in the tables 1 and 2.

Figure 3 – Hydrographs of the daily average flow – Period of 1974-2007

Daily Average
Recurrence
Flow
(years)
(m³/s)
2 5.429
5 6.330
10 6.927
25 7.680
50 8.239
100 8.794
Table 1: Annual floods

Recurrence Daily Average Flow (m³/s)

(years) MAY-NOV JUN-NOV JUL-NOV
5 3.837 2.143 1.873
10 4.299 2.335 2.035
25 4.883 2.576 2.239
50 5.317 2.755 2.390
100 5.747 2.934
Table 2: Seasonal floods

4 HYDRAULIC MODELS STUDIES

The hydraulic behavior of the Teles Pires HPP structures was verify through the
construction of a physic hydraulic model, with scale of 1:100, composed of the main project’s
structures: diversion tunnels, spillway and power circuit.

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The diversion tunnels were calibrated in the lab in order to reach the internal roughness of
the excavated tunnels, associated with an estimated Manning coefficient. During the tests, a
series of modifications were done in the geometry of the tunnels’ exit, seeking to improve the
outflow conditions in this specific region.
5 DESIGN OF RIVER DIVERSION
5.1 First Stage of Construction
The first stage of construction keeps the river on its natural riverbed, while excavating the
left and right bank to construct the diversion structures and the power circuit. Figure 4
illustrates the first stage of the river diversion.

Figure 4: River Diversion´s First Stage - 3D Model Study

For this stage, the design considered protection for a 50-year annual flood, estimated in
8.239 m3/s. Natural terrain and cofferdams provided this protection.
When the diversion tunnels were ready to operate, the diversion of Teles Pires River from
its natural course enabled the start of construction of the structures in the riverbed.

5.2 Second Stage of Construction

In order to divert the flows through the tunnels, it is necessary to launch a “pre -
cofferdam” on riverbed. The design of this structure must consider limiting its high, the
size of necessary material and the risks until the cofferdam achieves its final elevation.
Considering this, the design defined that this stage should begin on the start of a dry
period and provided protection for a seasonal flood.
The cofferdam was finished in July 2013, and the Teles Pires River started to flow
through the three diversion tunnels. Figures 5, 6 and 7 show the conclusion of this stage
of the river closure.

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 Luisa R. S. Guimarães, Roberto E. Bertol and Paulo H. Povh

Figure 5: River Diversion´s Second Stage – Upstream View – 3D Model Study

Figure 6: River Diversion´s Second Stage – Upstream Panoramic View

Figure 7: Final stage of pre-cofferdam

The 3D model shown in Figure 8 illustrates the general arrangement of the second
stage diversion. Figure 9 shows an aerial-view of this stage of the construction
After finishing the riverbed constructions, the diversion tunnels closing operation
started. The maneuver plan was defined considering its necessity to do the maintenance of
the environmental flow rate (Q = 560 m3/s) during the hydro power plant’s reservoir
filling.

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 Luisa R. S. Guimarães, Roberto E. Bertol and Paulo H. Povh

FL
O
W

Figure 8 – 3D Model – General layout of second stage of river diversion

FLOW

Figure 9 – Aerial View of second stage of river diversion

5.3 Diversion Tunnels Closure and Impoundment

The definition of the impoundment period and the sequence of tunnels closure was one
of the main challenges faced at the project due to the necessity to keep a minimum flow
downstream for environmental reasons (environmental flow).
The original design determined that in the beginning of impoundment, the
environmental flow would be granted by the diversion tunnels, through a sequential
closure of the gates, having as a premise minimum upstream water levels previously
defined, that requires a minimum flow for the beginning of impoundment of
approximately 1.100 m3/s. With this condition, keep one of the gates of any tunnel open
would allow the impoundment of the reservoir till the spillway crest was achieved,
keeping the environmental flow above the minimum value.
During the development of the works, the planning of the construction defined the
necessity to begin the reservoir filling at the end of the dry period, and the affluent river’s
flow rate would not be enough to ensure the reservoir filling considering the diversion

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 Luisa R. S. Guimarães, Roberto E. Bertol and Paulo H. Povh

tunnel with no section restriction. At this moment, the design defined that an orifice on
the concrete plug of tunnel 3 would limit the release of the environmental flow .
In this context, the defined order for the closure satisfied the minimum flow rate
criteria, although, its development was conditioned to the dry period, considering the
maximum inflow rate of 1.500 m³/s, ensuring the safety of the operations without time
restriction for the closing operation.
6 CHALLENGES
6.1 Flood Event
During the first months of 2014, very intense rains occurred in the Teles Pires basin,
which caused increased flows and water levels to exceptional values in historical terms.
The flow rate on March 11 th 2014 achieved 8.500 m3/s, which can be associated to a
flood with a 70 years recurrence period.
Figure 10 presents the flow rate observed in the Teles Pires Hydro Power Plant. This
estimative was performed considering the two available references, the water level
readings on the field and the information provided by the discharge curve of the diversion
tunnels defined in the hydraulic physical model.

Figure 10 – Flows observed on the flood event

Despite that the flow rate seen in the flood event surpassed the design flood. The
protection cofferdams, which were defined with a minimum free board of 1,0 m, ensured the
safety and protection of the project.
The hydraulic behavior of the diversion tunnels at the Teles Pires Hydro Power Plant
was verified in the tests done in the physical hydraulic model. According to what can be
seen in the Figure 10, the discharged curve in the model showed full coherence with the
data acquired in the field.
6.2 Vortex on Tunnel 01
During the flood period, a vortex formed alongside the intake of the diversion tunnel 1
(T1).
As from the local observations, based on the characteristics of depth, diameter, and
intensity and in the bibliography, the vortex was classified as a type 02, which is
associated to a circulation of superficial depression (Padmanabhan and Hecker 1983).
Figure 11 shows a general view of the vortex formed next to the diversion tunnel 01.
In the tests performed in the physical model it was also possible to observe this vortex
near the entrance of the diversion tunnel 1. The test was performed with a flow rate of

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8.239 m³/s, as shown in Figure 12. The bibliography considers that for the efficient
operation of the intakes and tunnels, it tolerates vortexes up to the type 03 classification.
Vortex of this intensity, despite happening with low probability, bring concerns and
require observation. However, the observations done on field showed that the
phenomenon happened away from the shore, not affecting the excavated slope on the left
riverbank, which reduced significantly the possibility of block carriage inside of the
tunnel or some sort of significant erosion in the excavation.
Among the main concerns regarding the vortex formation, there was the possibility of
reducing the pressure in the intake structures of the tunnels, which were to be associated
to the risk of cavitation. Inspections were done previously to the reservoir filling, to
reduce to a minimum the possible risks of failure in the operation in the moment o f the
closing of the tunnels diversion gates. The conditions to these structures were shown to be
adequate and the closure operation of the diversion tunnels were successfully performed.
After the diversion tunnel closure, a local inspection in its conditions was done to verify
possible erosions consequent to the flow rate of 8.500 m3/s, which can be associated to an
average speed of 14 m/s in its interior. Figure 13 shows the final conditions at the
diversion tunnel 01.

Figure 11 – Overall view of the vortex formed Figure 12 – Vortex seen in the tests done in
upstream of Diversion Tunnel – T01 the hydraulic physical model of Diversion
Tunnel – T01

Figure 13 - Interior of diversion tunnel 01 - view towards upstream

6.3 Diversion Tunnels Closure Plan and Reservoir Filling
During the construction, the designer studied additional alternatives for the sequence
of the diversion tunnels closure, always keeping the environmental flow during
impoundment.

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6.3.1 Project modifications due to the changes in the construction schedule

The initial construction schedule foresaw the closure of the tunnels in the beginning of
the dry period. According to this definition, the designer defined the elevation of the
operating platform (El. 203,50 m) to support flow rates of up to 1.500 m3/s with adequate
time.
However, with the possibility of closing the tunnels at different dates, it was necessary
to evaluate the impacts in the project while considering the possibility higher flow rates .
In this new scenario, the design changed the elevation of the operation platforms,
raising platform of T3 to elevation 211,0 m, which allowed the safe closure of this tunnel
considering affluent flow rates of approximately 6 000 m3/s, which became the maximum
allowed flow rate for the complete diversion closure.
At the same time, the platform of T1 was lowered to elevation 185,0 m, keeping the
safety of the operation, which held the closing order of the tunnels, initiated by T1.

6.3.2 Final Plan for the Diversion Tunnels Closure

During the reservoir filling operation, it was necessary to maintain a minimum flow
rate of 560 m3/s downstream. In a first stage of the reservoir filling, this flow rate would
be ensured by the diversion tunnels themselves, by keeping a gate open as the reservoir
fills. On a second phase, as the reservoir level achieved the spillway crest, this structure
assumed the flow release.
With the radial gates of the spillway completely open, the flow rate of 560 m3/s is
restored considering the reservoir at the elevation 201,30 m. In this condition, the
spillway has the capacity to discharge the environmental flow rate.
The 201.3 m elevation corresponded to a flow rate of 1.800m3/s, considering the
discharge curve from the diversion tunnel 3 (T3), operating with only one gate open. In
this context, in the scenarios in which the affluent flow rate would be equal or higher to
this value, the simple maintenance of an open gate from T3 was enough for the reservoir
water level to reach the elevation in order to the spillway to restore downstream the
minimum flow rate of 560 m3/s.
In this new set up, which considered affluent flow rates higher than 1.800 m3/s, the
need to have a control section, through the construction of an orifice in the interior of the
diversion tunnel 2, was no longer necessary.
The final design considered the following sequence:
 Diversion Tunnel - T1:
Closure of the diversion tunnel 1, in the beginning of the last dry period before the
filling of the reservoir. However, T1 had both gates closed on November 21 st 2014, with
an incoming flow rate of 1.100 m3/s.
 Diversion Tunnel – T2:
After closing T1, the sliding (maintenance) gate was dismantled and transported for the
closure structure of T2. The diversion tunnel T2 was completely closed on December 5 th
2014, with an incoming flow rate of 1 500 m3/s.
 Diversion Tunnel – T3:
After obtaining the operation license, the third diversion tunnel could be closed so that
the filling of the reservoir would be initiated. The closure of the T3’s second gate would
only happens when the reservoir’s water level would be equal or higher than the 201,30 m
elevation, when all of the spillway four radial gates would open.

Due to the delay in the commissioning of two spillway radial gates, the hydraulic
charge needed to ensure the minimum flow rate discharge of 560 m3/s in this structure
was slightly higher, which corresponded to an elevation of a 202,8 m order. This increase

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in elevation, however, didn’t increase significantly the minimum flow rate to the
finalization of the tunnels’ closing phases.
The last T3 flood gate was closed on December 14 th 2014, with an affluent flow rate of
2.300 m3/s. The operation of the spillway was initiated at 11:00 pm on December 14th
2014, through the radial gates 1 and 4 of the spillway.

7 CONCLUSIONS
The river diversion was an important part of the construction schedule of Teles Pires
Hydro Power Plant. The use of three tunnels alongside the left riverbank, showed to be a
satisfactory technical and economical solution. The adequate design of the structures
ensured the efficiency of the performance of the diversion tunnels, even during the
passage of a historical flood, which happened in 2014 (flow rate of the 8.500 m3/s -
recurrence period of 70 years).
The contour conditions and the challenges faced while setting the order of closing the
diversion tunnels demanded various alterations in the project initially defined. The effort
made among the project designer, construction company, and the owner’s engineering
ensured the success in the diversion stage and the construction of the Teles Pires Hydro
Power Plant.

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