OREANDA-NEWS.  March 15, 2011. As part of the second phase of renovation activities at Sayano-Shushenskaya HPP works are being carried out to assemble the main generator for hydraulic unit No. 1, which has been produced by Power Machines ahead of schedule and shipped in December 2010. As of today, the generator stator body is assembled, the drive-in of wedges and stator core assembly is also completed.

Work to assemble generator components for the hydraulic unit No. 1 is being carried out in the crater of hydraulic unit No. 9. At one of the stages the stator will be moved to a prepared site in the crater of hydraulic unit No. 1. This will be done with the use of a custom-made lifting beam (i.e. a hoisting device used in crane applications to handle loads of varying types) with a lifting capacity of 600 t (the stator’s weight is 540 t). The lifting beam manufacturer is Krasnoyarsk Experimental Machine-Building Plant. The beam carrying the stator will be simultaneously lifted by two one-legged cranes of SSh HPP turbine hall.

Hydraulic high-voltage testing of stator winding bars for the absence of damages is also underway. At the same time, the assembly of the rotor for the main generator of hydraulic unit No. 1 is in progress at erection site (piling of stator core iron proceeded subsequent to the frame assembly) alongside preparations for the installation of the turbine cover at hydraulic unit No. 1.

The final stage of the flow part of hydraulic unit No. 1 renovation is near its completion. Other activities that are currently in progress include preparation for mounting a new turbine bearer ring as well as the installation, within a draft tube, of damping fins used to stabilize water flow within the hydraulic unit’s flow part.

In compliance with the SSh HPP renovation program hydraulic unit No. 1 is scheduled to be put into operation in December 2011.

Power Machines is a contractor for the production and installation of new hydraulic units for Sayano-Shushenskaya HPP. Under the contract the power engineering concern is to produce ten hydraulic turbines and nine hydraulic generators rated at 640 MW each as well as six excitation systems (a new generator and four excitation systems that have already been manufactured and installed at hydraulic units having been put into operation following the 2010 restoration repair).

In January 2011, Power Machines accomplished the production of a runner for the SSh HPP’s hydraulic unit No. 1. This 145-ton unit is to be transported to SSh HPP by water during the summer navigation period.  In 2011, five more hydraulic units are expected to be produced at the power engineering concern’s production facilities; the production of remaining machinery is scheduled for 2012–2013. Power Machines staff will also provide installation services on a turnkey basis, including installation supervision and commissioning.

The new hydraulic units service life will be increased up to 40 years, with the maximum turbine efficiency of 96.6%. Its power and cavitation characteristics will also be enhanced. The hydraulic units will be equipped with advanced diagnostic systems allowing for prompt detection of status changes and accident prevention.