2020-01-23
Voith Hydro awarded single-source contract for BC Hydro’s Bridge River Powerhouse II generator replacement
- Updating the units will improve performance
- As a single-source supplier, Voith can streamline the design, production and installation processes
As the project contractor, Voith is responsible for all aspects of the project, from planning, design and scheduling to construction, installation and commissioning. They will consult directly with BC Hydro engineers to ensure it meets the power producer’s needs. Through the life of the project, Voith will deliver and install a number of generator components including multi-turn coils, stators, rotors, bearings, field poles, sole plates and instrumentation.
“A key part of the scope of this project was to improve the units’ energy output,” said Eric Lamontagne, Vice President of Account Management,Voith Hydro, North America. “We’re doing that with a modernized generator design and components. Aside from being good for BC Hydro’s customers, these improvements also help the B.C. government meet its low carbon emission goal by boosting the capabilities of its existing clean-energy generation facilities.”
The design and production of components for these units will take place at Voith locations in Canada, the U.S. and Brazil in Voith Hydro manufacturing plants. The multi-turn coil technology used in the generators exceeds Canadian Insulation Standards. After basic construction, the generators will be assembled from those components on site at Bridge River Powerhouse II. Two subcontractors, FMI and the Tsa’alh Development Corporation, will assist on the work locally.
Bridge River Powerhouse II Units 7 and 8 are high-head Pelton units locat-ed on Seton Lake and feed through a 4,000-meter tunnel from the Carpen-ter Lake reservoir, and its penstocks are 1,325 meters long. Voith has already completed the replacements of Units 5 and 6 at the powerhouse. The replacement of Units 7 and 8 will be a multi-year undertaking, and their work is expected to be complete by spring 2021.
To learn more about Voith’s modernization capabilities, visit
About the company
The Voith Group is a global technology company. With its broad portfolio of systems, products, services and digital applications, Voith sets standards in the markets of energy, oil & gas, paper, raw materials and transport & automotive. Founded in 1867, the company today has more than 19,000 employees, sales of € 4.3 billion and locations in over 60 countries worldwide and is thus one of the larger family-owned companies in Europe.
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The Group Division Voith Hydro is part of the Voith Group and a leading full-line supplier as well as trusted partner for equipping hydropower plants. Voith develops customized, long-term solutions and services for large and small hydro plants all over the world. Its portfolio of products and services covers the entire life cycle and all major components for large and small hydro plants, from generators, turbines, pumps and automation systems, right through to spare parts, maintenance and training services, and digital solutions for intelligent hydropower.
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