Eskom Generation has awarded Alstom Hydro a EUR22 million contract to refurbish and upgrade the Gariep hydropower station in Free State province, South Africa.
Alstom will upgrade the plant’s four 90 MW generators to extend their lifetime and increase their output from 100 MVA to 122 MVA. The project will also increase plant availability and reduce operation and maintenance costs.
The Gariep plant, which was commissioned between 1971 and 1976, is located on the Orange River. The scope of the refurbishment work includes replacement of the stator frames, stator cores, stator windings and rotor windings of all four units.
The first unit is scheduled for delivery in September 2009 and the last in early 2011.
Gariep produces around 889 GWh/year and its generators can be used as synchronous condensers to help stabilize the operation of the high vltage interconnected system.
