GE Renewable Energy has been awarded a contract by Poland’s PGE Odnawialna S.A. to upgrade the Porabka Zar pumped storage hydropower plant.
The project involves the replacement of four 125MW pumped turbines and generators in a bid to extend the hydropower plant's lifespan and increase its efficiency. The plant has been in operation for over 40 years, and the upgrade aims to make it reliable and flexible while stabilizing Poland's power grid.
Pascal Radue, President and CEO of GE’s Hydro Solutions, said that the project was the first large-scale rehabilitation effort of its kind in Poland in 40 years. He added that the upgrade demonstrated Poland's efforts to achieve the Net Zero goal by 2050. The new equipment will significantly improve the plant's flexibility and reliability, and it will be responsible for stabilizing the grid in Poland.
Under the contract, GE Hydro Solutions will oversee the design, manufacturing, and supply of the new equipment, including the excitation and governing systems, and supervise the erection and commissioning of the four new units. This project is significant because the confined workspace will require specific cutting and welding processes that are unique to the project.
The project is expected to be completed by early 2028, and the new equipment will be specially designed for the Porabka Zar plant, which is the second largest pumped storage power plant in Poland with an installed capacity of 500MW.
