OREANDA-NEWS. Power Machines OJSC has manufactured the first of 22 umbrella-type vertical-shaft synchronous hydrogenerators with maximum capacity of 144.5 MW for Volzhskaya HPP. It is designed for hydropower unit #21.

A turnkey contract to replace 10 hydroturbines and 22 hydrogenerators at Volzhskaya HPP was concluded with RusHydro JSC in 2012. According to the contractual terms Power Machines are to provide the design, manufacturing, testing and delivery of 10 hydroturbines with maximum capacity of 145 MW and 22 generators with maximum capacity of 144.5 MW to the hydropower plant.  The contractual obligations of Power Machines comprise a full range of works which includes, in addition to the manufacture, dismantling of the old equipment and installation of the new one, installation supervision and commissioning services. The equipment deliveries are to begin in 2013 and to be completed in 2021.

The long-term program of retrofitting and renovation of the existing equipment and hydraulic works of Volzhskaya HPP has been implemented at the plant since 2005.  It is aimed at the complete replacement of worn-out equipment with modern and state-of-the-art one. Power Machines have already replaced 11 from the 22 hydroturbines at Volzhskaya HPP.

At present Power Machines are fulfilling a contract signed with RusHydro JSC in 2010, according to which four more hydroturbines with maximum capacity of 145 MW are to be upgraded at Volzhskaya HPP by Q3 2013. Three of these four turbines have been put into commercial operation today. Besides, the power plant engineering group is to supply 22 complete sets of hydrogenerator excitation system for Volzhskaya HPP by 2017. The corresponding contract has been signed this year.

The upgrade of the hydropower equipment will allow to significantly improve its reliability and performance, as well as to raise the installed capacity of Volzhskaya HPP.

Volzhskaya HPP belonging to RusHydro JSC is the largest hydropower plant of the Volga-Kama cascade and Europe. Its installed capacity amounts to 2.59 GW (2592.5 MW).  The average annual electric power output is 11.1 billion kW•h. Volzhskaya HPP is designed to cover the peak of the load curve in the united power grid of Russia. When necessary, the hydroelectric power plant can significantly increase its electric power output in a few minutes, ensuring the system reliability of the country's united power grid.

The power generating facilities of Volzhskaya HPP consist of 23 hydropower units of different capacity produced by Power Machines: fifteen 115 MW hydropower units, four 120 MW units, three 125.5 MW units and one 11 MW unit.