Le Pont de Bens, 38580 La Chapelle du Bar
Bens
The Bens hydroelectric power station is located in the municipalities of La Chapelle du Bard and Arvillard. It uses the waters of the Bens river in the Belledonne mountain-range. Equipped with a Francis turbine, it develops an electrical power of 500 kW.
- Intake altitude level: 459 NGF
- Restitution altitude level: 417 NGF
- Gross head: 42 m
- Maximum water flow taken: 2 m3/s
- Maximum gross power: 916 kW
- Maximum electrical power: 500 kW
- Average annual production: 2.3 GWh/year
The Bens Valley, a forest and hydraulic reservoir
The Bens Valley is one of the wildest in the Belledonne mountain range. It is home to a large forest area, classified as a ZNIEFF (Natural Areas of Ecological, Faunistic and Floristic Interest).
The peaks that form the ridge line of its catchment basin are high (Pic du Frêne – 2,808 m) and well-watered. Snow is abundant there.
The Bens River also marks the boundary between the Savoie and Isère departments.
The power of the Bens has been used since ancient times by the Carthusians monks, who once settled in the upper part of the catchment area (Saint-Hugon Monastery), as well as by the master ironworkers of Arvillard.
Since 1993, the power station has been owned by the company Forces Hydromotrices du Bens, a subsidiary of Forces Motrices du Gelon.
The Bens River, a snow and rain river
The Bens is a mountain stream. Its source is at an altitude of 2,120 m, under the Col de la Bourbière. It is then fed by numerous mountain springs in the upper part of its catchment area.
Its regime, upstream of the water intake, is essentially defined by snow melting contribution, due to the high altitude of the peaks that surround it.
Clean energy
The Bens hydroelectric power station produces 2.3 GWh per year.
To obtain an equivalent production, a thermal power station would consume 511 tons of oil and release 1,533 tons of CO2.
A coal-fired power station would release 1,917 tons of CO2 for the same energy production.
This production is equivalent to the domestic consumption of approximately 520 households.
