Project Stage 2: Extension of the power station performance
In order to meet the increasing energy demand and to ensure that the plant can be operated by the project partners for several decades, we want to expand the power plant capacity by enlarging the canal in the project stage.
We intend to use the energy of both power plants by extending the upper channel. The next steps are the installation of a significantly enlarged and longer downpipe and the conversion of the lower machine house into a hydroelectric power station with significantly increased capacity. We also want to ensure that the unsurfaced sections of the canal are secured and that the sand basin at the end of the upper canal is removed so that it protects the turbine from damage by sand and rock.
Sketch of the existing hydroelectric power plants and the planned extension
There are many advantages to combining the two machine houses. On the inaccessible path between the houses, for example, no further power line has to be built. The lower machine house is better accessible with the truck of the project partner CPR, which facilitates construction and repairs. Careful planning of the channel extension can also reduce the height losses on the approximately 350-metre-long canal. This means that a larger part of the drop height – and thus also greater electrical power – can be used.
After completion of the project, 120 kW will be available during the nine months of the rainy season. In the dry season, approx. 30 kW can still be used, which ensures a good basic electrical supply. During our visit to the small hydroelectric power plant Kalehe we learned that the supply of the various customers there is limited to previously agreed times of day due to drought. On the industrial campus, we will add technical performance monitoring to this concept to reliably protect the network from damage caused by overload.
Einige Abschnitte des Kanals sind momentan noch unbefestigt. Um Wartungsarbeiten zu verringern und damit die Anlage über die kommenden Jahrzehnte bestehen und von Erdrutschen verschont bleibt, möchten wir den Kanal vollständig befestigen.
