Toshiba Corporation, through its US subsidiary, Toshiba International Corporation (TIC), has signed a major contract with Consumers Energy and Detroit Edison for the major overhaul of hydroelectric power equipment at the Ludington Pumped Storage Plant in Michigan, one of the world's largest pumped-storage hydroelectric power plants. The contract has a value of approximately US$500 million.
Ludington Pumped Storage Plant was built between 1969 and 1973, and at that time was the world's largest pumped-storage hydro plant. It was initially completed with hydro power equipment from other manufacturers, but Toshiba has been selected as supplier for this upgrade, the most comprehensive in the plant's history. The scope of work covers the replacement of six 312 MW pump turbines and upgrades of their motor generators and associated equipment and will boost output by up to 50 MW per unit. Installation of the new equipment will start in June 2013 and all units are expected to be commissioned and on line by the end of 2019. Design engineering for the project will be done at Toshiba's Keihin Product Operations in Japan, and most of the equipment will be manufactured at Toshiba Hydro Power (Hangzhou) Co., Ltd. (THPC), a consolidated subsidiary of Toshiba in China. The runner, the main component of the hydraulic turbine, weighs approximately 260 metric tons and has a diameter of about 8.4 meters. It is the world's heaviest and largest runner for a pumped storage hydro power plant.
Toshiba considers the USA to be a key market in the hydroelectric business, on the strength of the widespread rehabilitation of hydro power plants over 30 years old. TIC was established in 1967 and has so far delivered a total of 39 turbines and 66 generators in the US and Canadian markets.
Linkedin
