Alstom awarded 125 million contract to supply cutting-edge technology to Switzerlands new Nant de Drance hydropower station

This partner project, between Swiss energy provider Alpiq,
Forces Motrices Valaisannes (FMV) and Swiss federal railways
SBB, demonstrates the first ever use of this type of technology
in Switzerland. With a total power generation capacity of 628
MW the new plant will eventually supply an average power
consumption equivalent to over 600,000 homes.  

Alstom will supply four 157 MW vertical Francis reversible
turbines, four 170 MVA vertical asynchronous motor/generator
units and further key equipment to the new plant, as well as
handling complete site delivery, erection, supervision and
commissioning.

The new installation integrates two state-of-the-art
technologies: a conventional pump turbine and a variable speed
pump turbine. The former pumps the water into a reservoir
located in the higher lake during periods of low energy demand
and releases it to produce energy during peak times, while the
latter regulates the level of energy it consumes, thus
contributing to better grid regulation.

Alstom Hydros** facilities in Grenoble, France and
Birr, Switzerland will be in charge of the engineering and
manufacturing of the equipment, to be delivered until 2017.
Civil works on this project began in 2008.

We are very proud to contribute to
Switzerlands goal to provide clean and cost-effective
energy for everybody. This project proves once again the
strength of innovation of Alstom Hydro as it allows the
preservation of the natural environment while increasing global
power efficiency, says Philippe Cochet, President
of Alstom Hydro.

Switzerland produces about 66,000 GWh of energy per year,
with hydroelectricity making up more than 50%. Due to
increasing demand and an ageing fleet, some 25,000 to 35,000
GWh per year will need to be replaced or renewed by 2035,
representing about 50% of todays installed capacity.
With about 20% of the Alps located in Switzerland, the
countrys geography is particularly adapted to the use of
pump storage power plants, which take advantage of existing
altitude differences.

Editors Notes 

*
Pumped storage power plants use only 2% of their energy
production to pump the water into the reservoir. Conventional
pump-turbines can only operate on a fixed quantity of energy
whereas variable-speed pump-turbines can regulate the level of
energy they consume. As a result they continue to function even
at lower energy levels. Consequently they assure a steady
refilling of the reservoir while contributing to the
stabilization of the network. 

**
Alstom Hydro, a joint venture between Alstom and Bouygues,
has over 400 GW of turbines and generators installed worldwide
which represent more than 25% of the total global hydropower
installed capacity. As the world leader in supply of hydropower
equipment & services, Alstom Hydro offers products and
turnkey solutions that cover all hydropower schemes, from large
to small, from run-of-river to pumped-storage. With more than
6,000 employees in 19 countries Alstom Hydro offers the
broadest range of products and services for new installations,
refurbishment, upgrading and services.

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