Pumped storage plants, which utilize two water reservoirs at different elevations to store and generate electricity, require robust operation and monitoring of Environmental, Health, Safety, and Quality (EHSQ) aspects. This includes managing potential environmental impacts like changes to water flow and habitat, ensuring worker safety through proper procedures and equipment, and maintaining high-quality standards in construction and operation to prevent accidents and ensure reliable power generation.
Environmental Considerations:
Water Quality:
Monitoring water levels, temperature, and dissolved oxygen in both reservoirs is crucial to minimize impacts on aquatic life. Changes in water flow can affect fish migration and spawning patterns, so mitigation measures like fish ladders or controlled releases may be necessary.
Erosion and Sedimentation:
Construction and operation can lead to erosion and sedimentation, potentially impacting water quality and habitat. Proper erosion control measures, such as vegetation planting and sediment traps, are essential.
Wildlife Impact:
Pumped storage plants can affect terrestrial wildlife, particularly through habitat loss and fragmentation. Careful site selection and mitigation measures, such as wildlife corridors, can help minimize these impacts.
Noise and Vibration:
Operation of pumps and turbines can generate noise and vibration, potentially disturbing nearby communities. Implementing noise barriers and vibration dampening measures can help mitigate these issues.
Health and Safety Considerations:
Worker Safety:
A comprehensive safety program is essential to protect workers from hazards associated with heavy machinery, electrical equipment, and working at heights. This includes proper training, personal protective equipment (PPE), and adherence to safety protocols.
Emergency Procedures:
Developing and regularly practicing emergency procedures for incidents like equipment failures, floods, or dam breaches is crucial for minimizing risks to workers and the public.
Public Safety:
Ensuring the safety of the public around the plant is vital. This includes clear signage, controlled access to the site, and emergency response plans.
Quality Assurance Considerations:
Construction Quality:
Rigorous quality control measures during construction are necessary to ensure the integrity of the dam, penstocks, and other infrastructure. This includes using high-quality materials and employing skilled professionals.
Equipment Maintenance:
Regular maintenance and inspections of pumps, turbines, and other equipment are essential to ensure reliable operation and prevent failures. This includes following manufacturer recommendations and implementing a preventative maintenance program.
Operational Procedures:
Clear and concise operational procedures, along with regular training, are necessary to ensure consistent and safe operation of the plant. This includes procedures for starting, stopping, and adjusting the plant's operation.
Performance Monitoring:
Continuously monitoring key performance indicators (KPIs) such as power output, efficiency, and water levels is essential for identifying potential problems and optimizing plant performance. This includes using data acquisition systems and developing performance dashboards.
Integration with Smart Grids:
Dynamic Frequency and Voltage Control:
Pumped storage plants play a crucial role in maintaining grid stability by responding to fluctuations in power demand and supply. They can quickly adjust their output to compensate for variations in renewable energy generation, ensuring a stable and reliable power supply.
Integration with Renewable Energy:
Pumped storage plants can store excess energy from renewable sources like wind and solar, making them more reliable and dispatchable. This helps to facilitate the integration of a higher percentage of renewable energy into the grid.
Transmission Upgrade Deferral:
By providing peak power during periods of high demand, pumped storage plants can help to defer the need for expensive upgrades to transmission infrastructure.
By effectively managing these EHSQ aspects, pumped storage plants can play a vital role in a sustainable energy future, providing reliable, flexible, and environmentally responsible electricity.
Ministry of Earth Sciences
ReplyDeletePARLIAMENT QUESTION: EARLY WARNING SYSTEMS FOR NATURAL DISASTERS
PARLIAMENT QUESTION: CLOUD SEEDING
PARLIAMENT QUESTION:EARLY WARNING SYSTEMS FOR NATURAL DISASTERS
PARLIAMENT QUESTION: WIND TURBINES IN GENERATING WATER
PARLIAMENT QUESTION: STRENGTHENING WEATHER FORECASTING
PARLIAMENT QUESTION: BHARAT FORECAST SYSTEM
A tropical storm and a cyclone are essentially the same type of weather system, but the term "cyclone" is used in different regions of the world to describe these storms. In the North Atlantic and Northeast Pacific, they are called hurricanes. In the Northwest Pacific, they are called typhoons. In the South Pacific and Indian Ocean, they are called cyclones.
ReplyDeleteHere's a more detailed breakdown:
Tropical Storm:
This is a general term for a rotating, organized system of clouds and thunderstorms with a defined circulation and sustained winds of 39-73 mph (63-117 km/h).
Cyclone:
This term is used to describe the same type of rotating storm system when it occurs in the South Pacific and Indian Ocean.
Hurricanes and Typhoons:
These are regional names for tropical cyclones. Hurricanes are in the Atlantic and Northeast Pacific, while Typhoons are in the Northwest Pacific.
How do hurricanes form and how do they differ from cyclones ...
All of these terms refer to the same type of powerful storm system that develops over tropical or subtropical ocean waters, characterized by strong winds, heavy rain, and potential for storm surges. The intensity of the storm can be further classified as a tropical depression (winds up to 38 mph), tropical storm (winds 39-73 mph), and then further categorized as hurricane, typhoon, or tropical cyclone based on wind speed and location.
What is the difference between a tropical storm and a tropical cyclone?
ReplyDeleteTROPICAL DEPRESSION (TD) - a tropical cyclone with maximum sustained winds of up to 62 kilometers per hour (kph) or less than 34 nautical miles per hour (knots) . TROPICAL STORM (TS) - a tropical cyclone with maximum wind speed of 62 to 88 kph or 34 - 47 knots.
Tropical Storm Wipha makes landfall in Vietnam; heavy rains persist in Philippines
ReplyDeleteBy Reuters
July 22, 20259:21 PM GMT+5:30Updated 19 hours ago
Summary
Companies
Vietnam braces for possible flooding, mudslides after Wipha landfall
Philippines faces intensified monsoon rains, widespread flooding
Vietnam and Philippines mobilise military for disaster response
HANOI/MANILA, July 22 (Reuters) - Tropical storm Wipha weakened after making landfall in northern Vietnam on Tuesday, with authorities on alert due to heavy rains that could cause flooding and mudslides, as the Philippines struggled with monsoon downpours that began last week.
Wipha hit the northern provinces of Ninh Binh and Thanh Hoa early on Tuesday afternoon with wind speeds of up to 74 kph (46 mph), slowing from around 100 kph on its approach, the national weather forecasting agency said.
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With a long coastline facing the South China Sea, Vietnam is prone to typhoons that are often deadly and Wipha is the first major storm to hit this year.
Heavy rains of up to 50 cm (20 inches) were forecast to continue until Wednesday morning, and authorities warned people to watch out for landslides in mountainous areas and flooding in urban areas. Around 350,000 soldiers were put on standby.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh had put coastal provinces on emergency footing as Wipha neared, with residents nervous after the devastation of Typhoon Yagi, which last year killed around 300 people and caused $3.3 billion of damage.
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"I have learnt from last year's mistakes, when we underestimated Yagi," Ngo Van Thuong, a 40-year-old warehouse manager in Ha Long City, told Reuters as the storm neared.
"Doorways and roofs are places that need more attention, and, since yesterday, I have also put sandbags on top of the roof," Thuong said.
A fishing boat in Quang Ninh province capsized early on Tuesday, but all nine of the fishermen on board were saved, the Nguoi Lao Dong newspaper reported.
Item 1 of 4 People lie on an elevated bed amid flooding caused by monsoon rains in Cainta, Rizal, Philippines. REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez
[1/4]People lie on an elevated bed amid flooding caused by monsoon rains in Cainta, Rizal, Philippines. REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab
Airlines cancelled and rescheduled dozens of flights, and some airport, port and train services were suspended, though state media reported that airports in Quang Ninh and Haiphong had resumed operations on Tuesday afternoon.
Photos on state media showed empty streets in the capital in Hanoi, where many workplaces were closed on Tuesday, including the U.S. embassy.
"We haven't forgotten about Yagi, and have taken extra measures to cope with Wipha," said a resident of Cat Ba Island in Haiphong.
FLOODING, CLOSURES IN PHILIPPINES
In the Philippines, Wipha has intensified already torrential monsoon rains, triggering knee- to waist-deep flooding across parts of the country and forcing a second day of school closures, flight cancellations and the suspension of government work.
Thousands of families remain in evacuation centres as relentless rains, which swept through the country's north last week, continue to batter the country.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., currently on an official visit to the United States, said government agencies had been mobilised to provide assistance.
"Relief goods are ready and are being delivered to affected areas, along with medical teams," Marcos said in a recorded message. "We're ensuring transport, electricity, and water supplies are stable for those affected."
On Sunday, Wipha, then at full typhoon strength, barrelled across Hong Kong and southern China. As the storm passed Hong Kong, more than 110 mm of rain fell within three hours and maximum wind gusts exceeded 167 kph at some points, prompting authorities to issue their highest storm warning.
Reporting by Khanh Vu in Hanoi, Thinh Nguyen in Ha Long, and Karen Lema and Mikhail Flores in Manila; Editing by John Mair and Sharon Singleton
Typhoon Wipha, also known as Severe Tropical Storm Crising in the Philippines, has impacted South China and Northern Vietnam after crossing the Philippines, Hong Kong, and Macau in mid-July 2025. It made landfall in northern Vietnam as a tropical storm, causing strong winds and heavy rains. The storm had previously caused disruptions in Hong Kong, including flight cancellations and shelter evacuations.
ReplyDeleteHere's a more detailed breakdown:
Origin and Intensification:
Wipha originated as a disturbance in the Philippine Sea on July 16 and intensified into a tropical storm on July 19.
Impact on the Philippines:
The storm, while still a typhoon, caused flooding and displacement in the Philippines.
Hong Kong:
Typhoon Wipha passed south of Hong Kong, leading to the issuance of the highest storm warning (Hurricane Signal No. 10), disruptions to air and rail travel, and the activation of shelters. The storm brought strong winds and heavy rainfall, with wind gusts exceeding 167 kph in some areas.
Landfall in China:
Wipha made landfall on the coast of Guangdong province in China as a severe tropical storm.
Vietnam:
The storm, downgraded to a tropical storm, made landfall in northern Vietnam, bringing strong winds and heavy rains, resulting in five deaths and displacing thousands.
Current Status:
As of recent reports, Wipha has made landfall in Vietnam and is no longer a typhoon, having been downgraded to a tropical storm.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tropical_Storm_Wipha_(2025)
ReplyDeleteWipha at its peak intensity near the Pearl River estuary on 20 July
ReplyDeleteMeteorological history
Formed 16 July 2025
Dissipated 23 July 2025
Severe tropical storm
10-minute sustained (JMA)
Highest winds 110 km/h (70 mph)
Lowest pressure 970 hPa (mbar); 28.64 inHg
Category 1-equivalent typhoon
1-minute sustained (SSHWS/JTWC)
Highest winds 120 km/h (75 mph)
Lowest pressure 970 hPa (mbar); 28.64 inHg
Overall effects
Fatalities 20+
Injuries 27+
Missing 18+
Damage >$10.7 million (2025 USD)
Areas affected
PhilippinesTaiwanSouth and East ChinaHong KongMacauVietnamThailandLaos
Part of the 2025 Pacific typhoon season