HYDROELECTRIC PLANT AT LANABREGASI AND THE TIRANA AQUEDUCT

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP83-00415R006300130003-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 6
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 13, 2012
• Sequence Number: 3
• Publication Date: October 11, 1950
• Content Type: REPORT

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/03/13: CIA-RDP83-00415R006300130003-4
COUNTRY Albania
50X1-HUM
DATE DISTR.XI Oct, 1950
SUBJECT 1oelectric Plant at Lanabregasi and the NO. OF PAGES '5
Tirana Aqueduct
PLACE
ACQUIRED
DATE OF
INFO.
NO. OF ENCLS~
(LISTED BELOW)
SUPPLEMENT
REPORT NO.
THIS IS U7r'
1. Work was begun in 1949 on the construction of the by a ectric plant at 50X1-HUM
Lanabregasi and of the conduits which, capturing the water from the Selite
springsx,. will supply the power for the central nTarit_ A a wall n q t hA ren #.cm
for the Tirana aqueduct.
2. The original project was modified, mainly by Soviet engineers, as the Tirana
Government wished to build the whole unit in such a way as to make it almost
invulnerable in the event of war. In fact, the siphon installations, the
conduits,, and the hydroelectric plant itself, were to be within tunnels ahd
protected by a natural covering of earth. 50X1-HUM
3. It was estimated that the whole project would cost 650 million leks, to be
defrayed over a period of four fiscal years. For the year 1949 the Albanian
Government had set aside 230 million leks; of this, however, only.a third was
spent, due to the lack of materials and the means of getting them. By
1 September 1949, only 80,000,000 leks were spent.*
4.
The general characteristics of the plant are as follows:
a. Length, from the springs to the machine house, about 12,000 meters (I 883),
by Constant gradient of the conduits in the tunnel: 0.5 meters per 1,000,
c. Discharge from the spring: (1) minimum output, 45 liters per minute;
(2) maximum output, 1,200 liters ner minute.
Maximum discharge from the conduits: 1,000 liters per minute.
e. The installations are calculated to handle 2,000 liters per minute.
f. Cross-section of tunnel: ovoid, w3.-cn. ?cwo different dimensions
g,. Special steel pipe units for the siphon.
.
.
navy rrsRe DISTRIBUTION
CLASSIFICATION S CRFT CONTROL _ U
S
OFFTrIAT.G ONLY
CLASSIFICNIION S-EXRET fCOPTTROL U. S. OFFICI1.LS
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE' AGENCY REPORT
INFORMATION REPORT CD NO.
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/03/13: CIA-RDP83-00415R006300130003-4
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/03/13: CIA-RDP83-00415R006300130003-4
CENTRAL INTIMLIGENCE AGENCY
h. Location of the works is undergroimd, except for two visible connecting
canals on the surface, they combined lengths of which are 50 or 51 meters.
The Interior, for ease of description, can be divided into the following
parts:
a, The distance from the Selite springs to the outskirts of Qafemolle, a
length of 4,560 meters.. There is a conduit in a tunnel which crosses
through Mt. Jekeni t (1,337 meters). This t nnel, the first of the entire
project to be constructed,, was named the "Koleka" tunnel, after sinister
Spiro Koleka, whose Idea it had been in the first place. Under Mt. Jekenit
there are also the "Jekenit I, II and III" tunnels. Between the "Koleka"
and the "Jekenit I" tunnels then.) is a connecting canal 35 or 36 meters in
length. There is another between "Jekenit II" and "Jeakenit III" A, 15 meters
in length. These canals, with an overall length of 50 or 51 meters, are
to be the only exposed and visible portions of the installation when it
is completed.
b. There is a 3,500-meter siphon conduit with steel pipes to cover the area
between the "Jekenit III" and the "Large Dajti" tunnels.
c. There is a 2,323-meter tunnel conduit under Mt. Dajti (1,611 meters),
consisting of two straight channels forming an angle; one portion (the
upper level, 1,890 teeters in length), is called the "Large Dajti"
tunnel; the second portion (on a lower level, 433 asters in length),
is called the "Swell Iajt3" tunnel.
d. There is a 1,500-meter steel-pipe pressure conduit connecting the "Small
Dajti" tunnel with the machine house, with a difference in level of 573
meters.
G. The machine house is 52.16 meters long, 8 meters wide, and 9 meters high;
it is connected with a so-called service and security tunnel. A canal
to carry off water has been placed under the machine house.
6. Along the stretch which leads from the springs to the siphon intake (that is,
from the beginning of the "Koleka" tunnel to the end of the "Jekenit III"
tunnel), for a distance of 4,560 meters the tunnel is ovoid in cross-section,
with the followiing dimensions: internal height 1.80 meters, internal width
1.40 meters; thickness of concrete, from 20 to 30 centimeters (average 25
centimeters). This stretch has several bends in it, the main one being the
point at which the "Koleka" tunnel joins the "Jekenit I" tunnel at am angle
of 1460; hhetween "Jekenit II" and "Jekenit III" there is an angle of 1520.
Each angle is formed by a round arch (arb:) with a radius of 10 to 12 meters.
All along t',is stretch there sre at least 6 meters of clay soil covering the
vault (this least coverage occurs over the "Je.kenit, I" tunnel).
7. The length of the major axes of the various tunnels is as follows:
"Koleka "
Connecting Canal I
"Jekenit 111
"Jekenit III'
Connecting Canal II
"Jake it III"
8.
1p 693 meters
35 or 36 meters
726 meters
1,035 meters
lr meters
1,056 meters
The water intake at Selite is at an elevation of 936 meters; at the end of
the "Jekenit III" tuikne]. (and the beginning of the siphon) the elevation is
0112 rye snni.nre.es
SEECR1'T'/CONTTR0L - 'u, 3, ear'1,1u.L ,i Utvux.
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/03/13: CIA-RDP83-00415R006300130003-4
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/03/13: CIA-RDP83-00415R006300130003-4
CENTRAT, TMET 1 IGENCE AGENCY
-3-
9. The greatest height of the connecting canal (aqueduct) between the 'T1tolel ,l'
and "Jekenit I" tunnels is 4 meters; it is made of reinforced concrete, with
four supports (two mein supports and two abutments). There is also a walk
for the guards.
10. The connecting canal between the "Jekenit 11" and "Jekenit III" tunnels is
15 meters in length, with a maximum height of 4 meters; it is made of rein-
forced concrete, with two abutments. Details are the same as for the first
connecting canal.
U. The siphon conduit, joining the "Jekenit III" with the "Large Dajti" tunnel
is at an elevation of 933.70 meters; height at the lower end of the siphon
(and the beginning of the "Lar:e DaJti"" tunnel) is 904.75 meters; that is, a
loss of height of 28.95 meters. Distance (as the crow flies) between the
beginning of the siphon and the ends 2,800 meters; the linear length of the
siphons 3,500 metes. The horizontal projection of the course of the siphon
is not a straight line. The lowest point of the siphon is 633.70 meters,
with an iutexvening loss of might of 300 meter;.
12, The conduit, made with a special steel pipe unit, will consist of a single
pipe with a diameter of 60 centimate*s, or of two pipes, parallel and
50 meters apart, 45 centimeters in diameter. The pipes of either dimension
would have a thickness of 20 mr:. Along its entire course it will be fitted
with piezometric columns, in addition to the regular safety and cleaning
installations. Deviates: will bo located at each change of direction.. 50X1-HUM
13. With regard to the conduits in~the_"large Dajti'".and the I'Small Dajti"" tunnels,
following dimensions: internal width
2.45 meters; Internal hei
ht
250
,
g
,
meters; thickness of the concrete, 25 centimeters. Combined length of . the
two tunnels: 2,323 meters ("Large Da jti, "" 1,890 meters, "Small Da jti",
433 meters). The two t-nnels ar joined at an angle of 1460, formed by a
round arch (arc) with a radius of 11 meters. The cross-section of the two
tunnels is larger than the others because they will motion as a safety
reservoir; in fact, these tunnels should always be quite fulls to avoid the
formation of air pockets. The tunneler of Mtt. DajtI will be able to hold
about 10,000 cubic meters of water; it is to be noted that the reservoir,
formed by two such tunnels, should not be considered as a reserve, since
it could not by itself supply the plant for more than 4 or 5 hours. The two
Dajti tunnels are made of non-reinforced concrete.
14. There is a pr^ssuro pipe from the end of the "Small Dajti"" to the machine
house. Are the Brow flies, the distance is about 800 meters; the pipe itself
is 1,504 meters in length. The height at the point of the Dajti pipes" in-
take is. about 903 meters; that of the machine shop intake is 330 reters,
with a difference in level of about 573 meters. The pipes do not run in a
straight line, but follow the contours of the terrain.
15. The water will have a pressure of 60 atmospheres ' at the machine house; this
pressure will be maintained at 30 atmospheres by pressure reducers of a type
not yet known, as they had not (at time of this report) yet been installed.
The pipe units will. ?_~robably also have a siphon. The rate of fall will be
reu1ated by the turbines. . Pipe units 60 centimeters in diameter or two
pipe Units 45 centimeters in diameter will also be used for.this conduit;
the thickness of the steel pipes will be 20 or 25 millimeters. The pipe
units will consist of 6-meter units, each of which will have a support com-
sisting of a cement block in which the pipe is half sunk and hold in the
upper part by two supports with a transverse b