Darakuta Hydropower is a run-of-the river hydropower facility which currently contributes 300 KW/h to the Tanzanian national grid.
The facility is designed to operate in the Kou river without interfering in its flow. Using a weir, part of the river is diverted through a 700m penstock (pipeline) to a downstream powerhouse where three turbine generators harness the kinetic energy of the water before releasing it back into the river. The power is generated from three different turbines that make up two power generating units:
Although run-of-the-river hydropower facilities produce at a smaller scale than "storage" facilities with dams and reservoirs, they are considered the more environmentally-friendly option as they do not interfere in the flow of the river.
... at the Saba Saba farmers exhibition. Engineer Valentin and his wife Ruth Schnitzer came all the way from Germany to present a simple hydropower turbine system that powers a maize milling machine. Raphael Bapst was visiting the exhibition with his two young sons, and was captivated by the possibilities of a hydropower system at Darakuta Ranch.
Two years later in 1996, after a lot of hard work by Raphael, the Kou River was spinning its first turbine blades. A 50 KW unit had been installed and was working perfectly. It was made up of a standard KSB pump combined with a Mecalte generator, and a GP load controller that made Island mode possible. The turbine powered the whole Ranch, from its workshop and cooling containers to the farmhouse – everything was powered by self-made green energy.
In 2002, after the system had been running without an interruption for over six years, Valentin Schnitzer came to visit the power station, and made a proposal. He suggested building a bigger 1 MW station, and selling power to the Tanzanian national grid (TANESCO). Valentin worked out every little detail of the upcoming hydropower plant. He climbed up the escarpment about a hundred times, made measurements and calculations, and on paper, Darakuta Hydropower was born.
Unfortunately Darakuta Hydropower never received the contract from Tanesco. All the documentation and paperwork was filed into folders and stored away for many years.
Fast forward to 2010. The two small boys had grown up and things had changed - Tanzania’s population was booming and energy demand was increasing – small hydropower plants had become attractive for TANESCO. Valentin Schnitzer, who could have enjoyed his pension in a rocking chair, was eager to put new life into Darakuta hydropower, this time together with the second generation Bapst as well. Many years passed while all the documentation was updated, plans were finalized, and the two Bapst brothers were read into the hydropower plans by Valentin.
Finally, in 2015, the hydropower plant became tangible. It was a big year for Darakuta Hydropower. In January ground was broken, and construction officially started for a 270 kilowatt unit.
On the 6th of April 2016, after toiling tirelessly for over a year, the first kilowatt was generated by the Kou River and pumped into the official grid of Tanzania – the power plant was officially commissioned!
Operation of the hydropower plant relies on a team of four Tanzanian operators that were trained by Florian Bapst:
Our operators are responsible for the general operation of the hydropower plant, including but not limited to:
This dynamic team of four ensures optimal operation of the hydropower plant throughout the challenges of both the dry and rainy seasons. In the dry season perhaps the biggest challenge is optimizing power output without letting the water level in the intake drop too low, which would create water vortexes that would destroy the pipelines. In the rainy season they are repeatedly faced with massive floods and have to ensure that the flood gates divert enough water to prevent sediment and debris from reaching - and destroying - the turbines.
