Alstom to modernise Vattenfalls Laxede hydro electric power station

Alstom has been awarded a contract to refurbish and upgrade the Laxede hydro electric power station in Sweden, owned and operated by Vattenfall Vattenkraft AB.

The contract includes the complete refurbishment and upgrade of the generators in units 1 and 2, including the supply of new stators and rotor poles, as well as a comprehensive service of unit 3. After completion, the output of the unit 1 and 2  will be increased from 58 MW to 76 MW. The modernisation will increase the life expectancy of the plant by 40 years.

The Laxede hydropower plant was constructed in 1962, and is one of 15 hydro power plants along the Lule river in the north of Sweden, about 100 kilometers from the city of Luleå. The surface powerhouse has three units, two of them commissioned in 1962-63 and the third in 1986. The total installed power output of the plant, which produces 885 GWh per year, is 207 MW.

Laxede is an important modernisation project, and I am pleased by the fact that Vattenfall reconfirms its confidence in Alstom and our local capabilities, says Lars Kleppe, Country President Alstom Sweden.We have a long and solid history of large hydro projects, and our hydro organisation in Norway and Sweden combines experience with expertise to offer high-quality products.

The work will start immediately, and will be carried out in three steps. The service work on the generator in unit 3 will be ready in November 2012, followed by generator unit 1 in 2014, and generator unit 2 in 2016.

Alstom is a global leader in the world of power generation, power transmission 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, provides turnkey integrated power plant solutions and associated services for a wide variety of energy sources, including hydro, nuclear, gas, coal and wind, and it offers a wide range of solutions for power transmission, with a focus on smart grids. Anna Lihr
Tel.: +46 (0)8 723 65 88
Email: anna.lihr@transport.alstom.com