Alstom to rehabilitate and modernise two hydropower plants
in Africa

The 1950s-built N'SEKE and Cambambe plants have suffered
from deterioration because of former regional unrest, and the
units have been operating at reduced capacities. The
rehabilitation work carried out by Alstom will restore the
N'SEKE plant to its original operating conditions while
substantially increasing Cambambe's power output.



Alstom Hydro's Service operation in Grenoble, France, is in
charge of the overhaul of the N'SEKE plant, located on the
Lualaba River of DRC. The scope covers the rehabilitation of
4x65 MW turbine/generator units, balance of plant as well as
the supply of hydro-mechanical equipment, mostly manufactured
at the company's facilities in Grenoble, France, and Birr,
Switzerland. Commercial operation is scheduled for the
beginning of January 2010.



Alstom Hydro's unit in Brazil is responsible for the
rehabilitation of the Cambambe plant, located on the Kwanza
River, 180 km southeast of the Angolan capital, Luanda. The
scope of work includes supply, erection supervision and
commissioning of 4x72 MVA generators, the supply and
integration of new Digital Protection and Control Systems as
well as hydro-mechanical and lifting equipment. The equipment
will be entirely manufactured at the company's facility in
Taubaté, Brazil. The first unit is expected to enter
commercial operation in September 2009 and the last in June
2010. This contract will be realised in the frame of a
consortium with the Brazilian company Odebrecht.



Philippe Cochet, President of Alstom Hydro, said: 'These
contracts demonstrate the need in Africa for refurbishing and
modernising ageing hydropower plants. I am pleased that Alstom
Hydro with its technology and long experience in refurbishment
can help bring these plants back to their normal working
conditions."


Editor's Notes

*Alstom Hydro is a joint venture between Alstom and
Bouygues and has over 400GW of turbines and generators
installed worldwide which represent more than 25% of the total
global hydro power installed capacity. As the world leader in
supply of hydropower equipment & services, Alstom Hydro
offers products and solutions that cover all hydropower
schemes, from large to small, from run-of-river to
pumped-storage. With 5500 employees in 19 countries Alstom
Hydro offers the broadest range of products and services for
new installations, refurbishment, upgrading and services.


About Alstom

Alstom is a global leader in the world of power generation and
rail infrastructure and sets the benchmark for innovative and
environmentally friendly technologies. Alstom builds the
fastest train and the highest capacity automated metro in the
world, and provides turnkey integrated power plant solutions
and associated services for a wide variety of energy sources,
including hydro, nuclear, gas, coal and wind. The Group employs
76,000 people in 70 countries, and had orders of 23.5
billion in 2007/08.