Bajo de Mina Hydroelectric Project

The Bajo de Mina Dam is part of a large hydroelectric power generation project along the Chiriqui Viejo River in Panama which also includes the Baitun Dam (another Kryton project).

Originally the construction team used RCC (Roller Compacted concrete) to construct the 30 m tall (98 ft.) dam face. During construction leaks appeared at all the cold joints along the face formed by the RCC layers. Along with this, leaks from the mountain water run-off appeared in the conduction tunnel ceiling.

Solution

When Kryton’s distributor Tecnosagot, was brought on board to repair the leaks, the dam face was already 50% complete. The applicator used Kryton’s Krystol Crack Repair System to repair all the leaking joints across the dam face, then the whole area was coated with Kryton’s T1 & T2 Waterproofing System. The final part of the dam face was completed using Kryton’s Krystol Internal Membrane (KIM) admixture.

The conduction tunnel received the same crack repair and T1 & T2 waterproofing treatment. The repaired Bajo de Mina Dam now supplies a stable 36 MW of energy per hour for the region.

The construction team were so pleased with the results of Kryton’s products that when it came to constructing the second dam in the development, the Baitun Dam, they used Kryton right from the start using Kryton’s Krystol Internal Membrane or KIM admixture in the construction of the dam face.