The turnkey contract has been awarded to Hochtief Construction AG in Essen, Germany at the end of last year by Scottish and Southern Energy Generation Ltd., one of the major British electricity utilities. The contract for the electromechanical equipment has been awarded to VA TECH HYDRO as a subcontract to the turnkey contract. However, VA TECH HYDRO participated intensively in the process of planning, conception and optimisation of the project throughout the last two years. The contract has been won against strong international competition.

The powerstation will have a nominal output of 100 MW and thus contribute substantially to an increased share of renewable energy in Scotland. Furthermore, with a net head of 600m and the selected type of Pelton turbine, the concept will be able to cover an important range of peak load in UK electricity market.

The scope of supply includes one 100 MW Pelton turbine with vertical shaft and six nozzles, including governor and spherical valve, one synchronous generator with a nominal output of 120 MVA, control systems, electrical plant equipment and auxiliary systems. The installation works will be executed together with the local partner company Weir Engineering Services.

After having executed successfully several contracts in the sector of service and rehabilitation in the previous years, VA TECH HYDRO further enforces the leading market position in Scotland with this important new order.

VA TECH HYDRO has also been successful in Germany. This order involves partial renewal of the pump storage power plant Säckingen in the southern Black Forest. The underground power plant of Schluchseewerk AG provides peak power and uses water between upper reservoir and river Rhine which lies 400 m below.

Together with the partial renewal of unit A7 the complete stator as well as all the field windings of the motor generator, which supplies 118 MVA will be renewed.

The project incorporates the complete design and practically the entire component manufacturing at the Weiz facility of VA TECH HYDRO in Austria.

In order to optimise the efficiency of the plant and to reduce losses, VA TECH HYDRO uses technologically proven high-quality materials. Moreover, to keep the unit outage to a minimum and to maximise machine availability for Schluchseewerk AG, the stator will be assembled in the facility in Weiz and then delivered to the plant by special transport in two halves. After the arrival of the new components at site, the unit will be disconnected from the grid for a period of only 4 ½ months.

For modernisation of hydro power plants, VA TECH HYDRO is applying 3D design tools together with specially developed computer programs to verify forces and stability, undertake cooling air flow simulation to provide optimal tailor made solutions for existing plants.

The commissioning of the refurbished motor generator set is scheduled for February 2007. The comprehensive overhaul of the motor generator not only guarantees Schluchseewerk AG absolutely safe operation for many years to come, but also major advantages when meeting peak power production demand.

The contract value for both projects is approx. € 23 Mio. for VA TECH HYDRO.