North America
Ontario Power Generation completes work on 28-MW Sutherland plant
The 28-MW Sutherland hydropower plant began generating power in April, according to Canadian provincial utility Ontario Power Generation. The project, on New Post Creek about 80 km north of Smooth Rock Falls, was built by OPG and Coral Rapids Power, a wholly-owned venture of the Taykwa Tagamou Nation.
“Ontario’s newest waterpower generation station further demonstrates our government’s commitment to building a clean and reliable electricity system,” Ontario Minister of Energy Glenn Thibeault said. “Not only will it help to support a healthier environment and cleaner air for today and future generations, this project highlights a partnership between Taykwa Tagamou First Nation and OPG that delivered meaningful economic benefits to the local First Nation community.”
Work on the plant began in August 2015, and it was completed on time and within budget, OPG says. The facility is named after community elder Peter Sutherland, Sr.
Latin America
Belo Monte reaches 3.2 GW of capacity with new unit
Norte Energia has brough another turbine-generator unit online at its 11.2-GW Belo Monte hydro plant in Brazil, bringing total operating capacity to 3.2 GW.
The 611-MW unit is one of 18 Francis turbine-generators units to be installed in one powerhouse. A second powerhouse at the site (called Pimental) will have a total capacity of 233 MW.
Belo Monte is on the Xingu River in the northern state of Para and began supplying electricity to the grid in April 2016. Construction work began in 2011 and the facility is expected to become fully operational in January 2019.
The Norte Energia consortium building the plant includes Eletrobras and its subsidiaries Eletronorte and Chesf. Other investors are Neoenergia, Petros, Funcef, Light, J Malucelli Energia, Vale and Sinobras.
It is not clear how the recent suspension of the operating license for Belo Monte will affect progress on the project or the planned completion date.
Asia/Oceania
ADB says Bhutan is fastest growing economy in Asia
The Asian Development Bank says Bhutan is the fastest growing economy in Asia and economic growth in 2017 will be based on stepped-up hydropower plant construction. ADB forecasts Bhutan’s economy is expected to grow 8.2% in 2017 and 9.9% in 2018.
The Outlook 2017 report says Bhutan has built its economy by focusing on clean energy that helps counter the impacts of climate change. Bhutan has untapped hydropower resources estimated at 30 GW, but only about 5% of that has been developed. Hydropower was Bhutan’s largest export through the past fiscal year, accounting for 32.4% of the country’s total exports and 8% of its gross domestic product.
Additional developing countries in Asia are contributing 60% of all economic growth generated worldwide, according to the report.
Africa
Entura to provide advisory services for 600-MW Karuma project
Entura has received a contract from PowerChina Huadong to provide hydropower advisory services for the 600-MW Karuma project being built in northern Uganda.
Karuma is on the Victoria Nile River and features a 314-m-long diversion weir with radial gates, six shafts and associated power tunnels leading to an underground powerhouse containing six 100-MW Francis units.
PowerChina Huadong is the lead designer for the project and SinoHydro is the engineering, procurement and construction contractor.
Entura will assist PowerChina Huadong with managing project stakeholders, undertaking design reviews, and advising on compliance with international standards, according to a press release. “Entura brings a wealth of expertise in hydropower design and international standards, which will make an invaluable contribution to the delivery of this landmark project for the people of Uganda,” said Wu Haifeng, deputy design project manager for the Karuma project for PowerChina Huadong.
Karuma is expected to be complete by the end of 2018 at a cost of about $2 billion.
Europe
Iberdrola selects consortium to construct 164-MW Alto Tamega in Portugal
Spanish utility Iberdrola has awarded a contract to a consortium that includes Acciona, Mota Engil and Edivisa to construct the 164-MW Alto Tamega hydropower plant in Portugal.
The US$120 million deal will see the group construct a 106.5-meter tall, double-curvature concrete arch dam, plus powerhouse at the dam’s toe, diversion works, plant access tunnels and more.
Alto Tamega is one of three hydroelectric projects to be built on the Tamega River as part of Iberdrola’s 1,158-MW Tamega complex. Also included are the 114-MW Daivoes plant and the 880-MW Gouvaes pumped-storage facility. Acciona previously announced it had won a $60 million contract to construct the penstock at Gouvaes.
HydroWorld.com reported in January that Ferrovial Agroman had completed excavating the diversion tunnel that will feed Daivoes. The company was also awarded the contract to build the Gouvaes dam and powerhouse.
Editor’s Note: Up-to-the-minute news on the global hydro market is available on HydroWorld.com. To read more news from a specific region, visit the World Regions page at www.hydroworld.com/world-regions.html.
