@mountain.passes.s: Wild Coast Tour 2026 The Collywobbles Hydroelectric Power Station (often referred to as the Mbashe Hydro Scheme) is located on the winding Mbhashe River, approximately 30 km east of Idutywa in the Eastern Cape. It takes its name from the spectacular series of river bends known as the Collywobbles. The project was initiated by the former Transkei government as part of a programme to develop hydroelectric power in the region. Construction began in 1982, and the station was commissioned in 1985. Initially it was owned and operated by the Transkei Electricity Supply Corporation (TESCOR). Following the reintegration of the former homeland administrations, ownership was transferred to Eskom in April 1995. The scheme is particularly ingenious. A small dam was built on a bend of the Mbhashe River, and water is diverted through a 1.4 km tunnel that cuts through a mountain ridge. This allows the water to bypass approximately 34 km of river meanders, creating a hydraulic head of about 135 metres before reaching the turbines. The powerhouse contains three Francis turbines, each driving a 14 MW generator, giving the station a total installed capacity of 42 MW. At the time of commissioning it was one of South Africa's larger conventional hydroelectric schemes and remains Eskom's largest hydro station in the Eastern Cape. Shortly after commissioning, severe floods in 1985 and 1986 exceeded the design flood estimates and caused flooding at the power station, requiring expensive flood-proofing works. Cracks also developed in the tunnel lining and had to be repaired with additional steel lining. A more serious long-term problem has been siltation. The Mbhashe catchment is highly prone to erosion, and sediment rapidly accumulated in the reservoir. The storage capacity declined from about 9 million cubic metres when commissioned to roughly 0.5 million cubic metres by 2011. This greatly reduced the station's ability to store water and increased wear on the turbines. Despite the operational challenges and reduced storage capacity, it remains an operational hydroelectric facility and continues to generate electricity when water availability permits. Eskom classifies it as a non-dispatchable hydro station that operates primarily when sufficient river flows are available. 🎦 Trygve Roberts MPSA 👉www.MountainPassesSouthAfrica.co.za #dams #easterncape #mbashe #collywobbles #southafrica

Mountain Passes South Africa

Open In TikTok:

Region: ZA

Wednesday 03 June 2026 06:14:36 GMT