Mavel Americas, Inc. has announced it has received an order for a Kaplan turbine for the new Crocker Pond hydroelectric plant in Westminster, Massachusetts, while parent company Mavel, a.s, confirmed that the 4.1MW Alba project in Northwest Italy has achieved final commissioning.
Whitman River Dam, Inc., owner and developer of Crocker Pond, signed a purchase contract for one Mavel Horizontal Kaplan ‘S’ turbine and related equipment for the project.
“Mavel has worked with us from the start, helping us to evaluate equipment alternatives for our sites in and around Westminster, MA,” said Robert Francis, President of Whitman River Dam, Inc. “Given the early assistance, they were the obvious choice for equipment provision.”
Crocker Pond hydroelectric plant has a nominal head of 11.7m and flow of 1.7m3/sec. The site will use a single Kaplan ‘S’ turbine, model KS560K5, which has a 560mm runner diameter and five runner blades. The turbine is double regulated with a horizontal shaft and will be connected to the generator via a flexible coupling. The expected power is 145kW at best efficiency with additional output during periods of higher seasonal flows. In addition to the Kaplan turbine, Mavel will provide a hydraulic power unit, horizontal asynchronous generator and the electrical controls and switchgear. Construction begins this summer with commissioning expected in 2017.
Over in Italy, the 4.1MW Alba plant, located in Santa Vittoria d’Alba on the Tanaro River in the Piedmont Region of Northwest Italy, has been fully commissioned. The project, which utilizes two Mavel Kaplan PIT turbines, was a greenfield site and designed to utilize head of 5.90m and total flow of 80 cubic feet per second. The owner is Egea P.T.S.r.l.
Mavel provided two double regulated Kaplan PIT Turbines type Mavel KP2500K4 with runner diameter of 2500mm and four runner blades. Mavel also provided synchronous generators, gearboxes, heat exchangers, assembly at site and commissioning.
The plant was originally commissioned in 2015, but flooding damaged the facility and the power plant was taken offline. It was placed back into operation last month.