Vattenfall is engaged in a program to progressively renovate many of its hydro power stations originally commissioned in the 1950s and 1960s to keep them in peak operating condition. The 35MW Näverede and 54MW Grundfors plants are among those targeted for renewal in 2002.
For each of these two run-of-river plants, GE will build and install a Kaplan turbine runner with a GE-developed design that uses water instead of oil inside the runner hub to reduce the risk of oil spillage into the environment during operation or maintenance. In a major departure from oil-filled runners in use since the 1920s, ge-hydro has successfully implemented reduced-oil or oil-free Kaplan turbine designs that include oil-free runners, hubs and greaseless bushings.
For the Näverede Power Plant, GE Hydro will supply a 35MW turbine runner with a 6.95m diameter and 12.5m head. The turbine runner for the Grundfors plant will have a 54MW capacity with a runner diameter of 4.87m and a head of 35.2m.
The work scope for both projects also includes overhaul of the turbines with self-lubricated bushings and provision of a new high-pressure regulating system.
The runners for the two projects will be built at GE Hydro facilities in Sörumsand, Norway. Shipping is scheduled for the end of August 2003, with commissioning by GE planned for the end of October 2003. Both plants are expected to resume commercial operation in November 2003.
