Catalana de Gas y Electricidad collection
A graphic testimony to the construction of the first hydroelectric plants in the valley of the River Esera.
The photographic collection
From 1913 to 1929 the Catalana de Gas y Electricidad company brought to completion in the Pyrenees of Aragon Ribagorza one pharaonic project for the construction of several hydroelectric plants and 225km transmission line in order to meet growing electricity demand of the city of Barcelona. The line was one of the longer in Europe at the time, and working conditions tested buildings and especially the people who made them possible. All this represented a considerable technological and human challenge which has immortalized through the photographic collection of over 2,000 photos that Catalana de Gas y Electricidad did and now are preserved in the photographic archive of the Museu de la Ciència i de la Tècnica de Catalunya.
Seira Power Station
This center is the first to start work and also the first to produce electricity for Barcelona 1918. While initially two lines of 130,000 volts and four groups were projected finally be launched only one line and three groups. The second line would not be installed until 1929 when the central achieve its full capacity.
Endurance test of a keystone concrete (1914/1914) by UnknownNational Museum of Science and Technology of Catalonia
Load tests on a dovela, to the right is the master builder Felix Ramon Surigué. Seira, June 4, 1914
Briquette Factory (1914/1914) by UnknownNational Museum of Science and Technology of Catalonia
Carpentry workshop in Seira (1927/1927) by UnknownNational Museum of Science and Technology of Catalonia
Carpentry workshop in Seira.
Elevation of a truss of the roof ofr the central of Seira (1916/1916) by UnknownNational Museum of Science and Technology of Catalonia
Automatic valves of the pipeline distribution of the central Seira (1917/1917) by UnknownNational Museum of Science and Technology of Catalonia
Automatic valves, pipe distribution Seira before being installed.
Inside the pressure pipe (1917/1917) by UnknownNational Museum of Science and Technology of Catalonia
Interior pressure pipe.
3rd turbine of Seira station power (1926/1926) by UnknownNational Museum of Science and Technology of Catalonia
Francis-type hydraulic turbine installed in the central Seira.
Assembly of a turbine of the central Seira (1917/1927) by UnknownNational Museum of Science and Technology of Catalonia
Effects of an explosion of dynamite in the compressor of the Plana Tomás (1916/1916) by UnknownNational Museum of Science and Technology of Catalonia
Effects of a dynamite explosion in the compressor Plana Thomas during construction in 1916.
Rock falls on the road (1917/1917) by UnknownNational Museum of Science and Technology of Catalonia
Rockslide on the road in 1917.
50 ton bridge crane of the Seira power station (1917/1917) by UnknownNational Museum of Science and Technology of Catalonia
50-ton crane inside the Central Seira.
View of the Seira power station (1917/1917) by UnknownNational Museum of Science and Technology of Catalonia
Westinghouse testing terminals to the Seira power station (1923/1923) by UnknownNational Museum of Science and Technology of Catalonia
Tests on the Westinghouse terminals in the central Seira.
High voltage terminal (1924/1924) by UnknownNational Museum of Science and Technology of Catalonia
Department of transformers Seira power station (1929/1929) by UnknownNational Museum of Science and Technology of Catalonia
Room transformers central Seira in 1929.
Villanova Dam
Between 1914 and 1918 was term Villanova Dam which the plant would feed Seira. The construction of the Villanova dam was a challenge and was characterized by harsh working conditions imposed by the air pressure drawer technique used to build its foundations.
Emplacement of 2nd probe in making Villanova (1914/1914) by UnknownNational Museum of Science and Technology of Catalonia
Location of the second survey for the construction of the dam of Villanova.
Foundations lock for compressed air (1915/1915) by UnknownNational Museum of Science and Technology of Catalonia
Emptying debris in a lock of a drawer. The work lasted more than expected by the difficult terrain. November 15, 1615
Workers splitting a block of stone inside the chamber of the second drawer taking Villanova (1914/1914) by UnknownNational Museum of Science and Technology of Catalonia
Working conditions inside a drawer. Two workers perforating the rock to place sticks of dynamite.
Construction of Villanova dam (1916/1916) by UnknownNational Museum of Science and Technology of Catalonia
State of construction of the dam in 1916.
Ice in the drain compressor of the Villanova dam (1915/1915) by UnknownNational Museum of Science and Technology of Catalonia
Fundamentals of the right abutment of the Villanova dam (1916/1916) by UnknownNational Museum of Science and Technology of Catalonia
Concreting of the left abutment of the Villanova dam (1917/1917) by UnknownNational Museum of Science and Technology of Catalonia
Tunnels taken: inlets (1915/1915) by UnknownNational Museum of Science and Technology of Catalonia
Exit tunnels of the dam in 1915.
Construction of the dam gates house (1916/1916) by UnknownNational Museum of Science and Technology of Catalonia
State of the works of the exit gates of the dam in 1916.
Overview of the Villanova dam (1918/1918) by UnknownNational Museum of Science and Technology of Catalonia
Overview of the dam of Villanova in 1918.
Campo Power Station
The construction of this second plant was started in 1921 and not completed until 1929 after overcoming numerous difficulties and obstacles.
Dam site and digging of power station (1921/1921) by UnknownNational Museum of Science and Technology of Catalonia
Starting work on the dam Campo.
Chainsaw Campo (1923/1923) by UnknownNational Museum of Science and Technology of Catalonia
Workshop building concrete blocks for the Campo dam (1923/1923) by UnknownNational Museum of Science and Technology of Catalonia
Lunch stop in the workshop building concrete blocks in 1923.
Quarry and gravel crusher in the ravine Gradiello (1921/1921) by UnknownNational Museum of Science and Technology of Catalonia
Quarry and gravel crusher in the ravine Gradiello in 1921.
General view of the construction of the Campo dam (1922/1922) by UnknownNational Museum of Science and Technology of Catalonia
General view of the construction of the dam of Campo in 1922.
Excavation of the foundations of the Campo dam (1922/1922) by UnknownNational Museum of Science and Technology of Catalonia
Deviation tunnel of Campo dam (1929/1929) by UnknownNational Museum of Science and Technology of Catalonia
Diversion tunnel dam Campo.
Additional drain for diversion tunnel of Campo hydrant (1929/1929) by UnknownNational Museum of Science and Technology of Catalonia
Additional drain by diversion tunnel.
Excavation for the foundations of the Campo dam (1922/1922) by UnknownNational Museum of Science and Technology of Catalonia
Concreting scrapping of automatic gates of Campo dam (1923/1923) by UnknownNational Museum of Science and Technology of Catalonia
Central cover of Campo dam (1923/1923) by UnknownNational Museum of Science and Technology of Catalonia
Works on the cover of the central Campo in 1923.
Fish passage of Campo dam (1928/1928) by UnknownNational Museum of Science and Technology of Catalonia
Beam support brackets for radial gate for Campo dam (1928/1928) by UnknownNational Museum of Science and Technology of Catalonia
Radial gate of the dam.
Pipe transport to the Campo power station (1929/1929) by UnknownNational Museum of Science and Technology of Catalonia
View of Campo dam (1927/1927) by UnknownNational Museum of Science and Technology of Catalonia
Snowy field Campo dam (1929/1929) by UnknownNational Museum of Science and Technology of Catalonia
Overview of the dam already completed during the winter of 1929.
Museu de la Ciència i de la Tècnica de Catalunya mNACTEC
Generalitat de Catalunya
Departament de Cultura
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