Presenzano Hydroelectric Plant

The Presenzano Hydroelectric Plant, officially known as the Domenico Cimarosa Hydroelectric Plant, is located along the Volturno River in Presenzano, Province of Caserta, Italy. Using the pumped-storage hydroelectric method, it has an installed capacity of 1000 MW. Construction began in 1979, it was finished in 1990 and the generators commissioned in 1991. In 2004, the plant was renamed after Domenico Cimarosa. Power is generated by releasing water from the upper Cesima reservoir down to the power plant which contains four reversible 250 MW Francis pump-turbine-generators. After power production, the water is sent to the lower reservoir. During periods of low energy demand, the same pump-generators pump water from the lower reservoir back to the upper where it becomes stored energy. Power generation occurs when energy demand is high. The upper reservoir, formed by an embankment dam, is located at an elevation of 643 m in the municipality of Sesto Campano in the Province of Isernia. Both the upper and lower reservoirs have an active (or usable) storage capacity of 6000000 m3. The difference in elevation between both the upper and lower affords a hydraulic head of 495 m.