Cortes-La Muela Reservoir (sometimes referred to as Cortes II Reservoir) is an arch dam and hydroelectric project built on the mid-course of the Júcar River, located in the town of Cortes de Pallás, within the province of Valencia, in the Valencian Community, Spain.[1]
As of 2018, it was the largest pumped hydroelectric storage plant in Europe. The project comprises a dam and large reservoir, a conventional hydroelectric power station and two underground pumped-storage hydroelectric power stations that, together, generate approximately 5000 GWh per annum.[2]
Description
The Cortes Reservoir and dam, together with La Muela I hydroelectric power station, were built between 1983 and 1988. The pumped-storage hydroelectric power station has an installed capacity of 630 MW for generation and 540 MW for pumping.
Later, between 2006 and 2013, La Muela II pumped-storage power station was constructed,[3]