Voith is to carry out cavitation repairs to all three Kaplan units at the Gavins Point dam in Nebraska in a contract awarded by the US.Army Corps of Engineers (USACE).
The scope of work will include welding, field machining and painting of the units’ water-passage surfaces to repair pitting and other damage. Through these repairs, the equipment will be restored to original profiles, both improving the efficiency of operation and the useful life of the equipment.
The Kaplan units, which deliver 44MW each for a total of 132MW of installed capacity, will be repaired in place through Voith’s proven welding and machining processes.
“The Voith team is proud to support the US Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District at Gavins Point with our more than 140 years of experience and capabilities in the design, manufacture, repair and modernization of US hydropower equipment.” said Rick Titemore, VP of Account Management, Voith Hydro. “With more than 400 US employees and a full service hydropower mechanical manufacturing and repair facility in York, Pennsylvania, USACE projects with Voith support US jobs and the US economy while providing essential maintenance and modernization of the USACEs extensive and aging hydropower fleet.”
Voith’s experience on similar projects was rated "outstanding" by the USACE and was one of the deciding factors for this award selection, the company said.
The Gavins Point dam is the most-downstream hydroelectric dam on the Missouri River and impounds Lewis and Clark Lake. It is situated over the river between Cedar County, Nebraska and Yankton County, South Dakota, and it was commissioned in 1957.
