RusHydro has announced it refurbished and modernized 14 hydropower units with combined capacity of 1171MW in 2015 as a part of its comprehensive modernization program.
As a result of upgrades at Kamskaya, Saratovskaya, Zhigulevskaya, Volzhskaya and Novosibirskaya hydropower plants capacity increased by 55.5MW in total.
Kamskaya was the first plant to complete modernization of the hydropower equipment. Each of the plant's 23 hydropower units had replacement of turbine runners, stator winding, air coolers, as well as wicket gear, turbine thrust bearing and working chamber. The modernization has resulted in a 14% increase of the plant's capacity (to 552 MW).
One hydropower unit and two generators have been replaced at the Volzhskaya, with three turbines replaced at Zhigulyevskaya. Two turbines at Cheboksarskaya have been modernized with adjustable blades angles, and all of the plants turbines were equipped with new excitation systems, microprocessor based electric protection systems, gas-insulated switches, new anti-accelerating systems.
Novosibirskaya and Miatlinskaya each had one turbine replaced. Three hydropower units with new turbines manufactured by Voith Hydro have been commissioned at Saratovskaya, enabling capacity increase of 13MW.
Two large-scale contracts for equipment modernization were signed with Power Machines during the year - providing for replacement of ten hydropower units at Votkinskaya and three units at Rybinskaya.
Modernization of Zeyskaya in the Far East was approved in 2015 by the state regulator - the Federal Expert Assessment Agency (Glavgosexpertiza). The project provides for replacement of every system of the plant: by 2025 all six hydropower units of the plant should be replaced, as well as gates of spillway and working parts of the dam, transformers, relay protection systems and other electric equipment. Such systems as automated control of hydropower units and local notification systems will also be refurbished.
Along with modernization of hydropower and electrical equipment, large-scale works were also conducted during the year.
A spillway of Egorlykskaya, part of the Kubanskiye cascade, has been completed. The North-Ossetia branch of RusHydro began main stage of renovation of the head unit of Ezminskaya, including construction of a by-pass canal. This feature will enable the spillway facility to be dried up to facilitate repair works without suspending operations of the plant. Similar works will be conducted at the oldest plant of RusHydro's fleet - Gizeldonskaya.
Emergency and repair gates, as well as protection grids have been replaced at Rybinskaya and Uglichskaya. The protection grids and turbine gates are being replaced at Volzhskaya and Votkinskaya hydropower plants.
Renovation of the drainage system of Nizhegorodskaya was also started. The system will receive new metering equipment enabling automatic gathering of information on hydro-facilities conditions.
Reconstruction of the concrete elements of the spillway dam at Novosibirskaya HPP on the tailrace side was completed by 73%.
The reconstruction of concrete plating in the zone of variable water level at the Saratovskaya was completed by 97%.
The plan for 2016 includes modernization of more than 10 hydropower units at the Volzhskaya, Zhigulevskaya, Sarativskaya, Cheboksarskaya and Novosibirskaya hydropower plants.
RusHydro's comprehensive modernization program provides for replacement of 55% of turbines, 42% of generators, 61% of transformers. This modernization will result in significant reliability, efficiency and security improvement of RusHydro generating facilities, and an increase in installed capacity of 779MW compared to the beginning of 2011. Expected growth of electricity generation will amount to 1375.6GW.
