Ampcontrol recently supplied high voltage switchgear on a hire basis to a hydroelectric power station in a major capital city to ensure site continuity.
This power station provides hydroelectric energy generation and storage, with the pump system supplying water to the local drinking water supply.
The power station contains two 8kV 46MW hydroelectric generator pumps. During a recent service, one of the pumps were sent for overhaul, meaning that only a single pump was available for service to supply a contracted amount of water.
During commissioning of a new motor drive, issues were encountered with the drive control. This meant that switchgear had to be sourced urgently to return the only operable pump to service.
The customer made an urgent request to Ampcontrol to hire high voltage switchgear to assist with the pump start-up power switching and control scheme.
Ampcontrol’s in stock switchgear was modified at short notice to integrate into the power station control system allowing the pump startup sequence to be controlled and monitored automatically.
Ampcontrol supplied a hire unit with three 11kV, 630A vacuum circuit breakers inside a container, tested and modified to integrate with the power station control system within 3 days of the customer order.
The job was delivered to site where a team of seven Ampcontrol staff completed the installation and commissioning over a five day period onsite.
Following installation and commissioning, the customer ordered an additional 3.3kV circuit breaker and specialised medium voltage screened cable which were modified to suit the customers’
requirements and delivered within 3 days.
Throughout the project Ampcontrol ensured that equipment, parts, materials, site staff, SWMS, Risk Assessments and access permits were made available in the shortest timeframes possible to ensure customer downtime was minimised.
Following the successful rollout of this project the customer purchased the equipment which will remain onsite.