Wedoany.com Report-Nov 13,  UK-headquartered engineering firm Quartzelec has completed the overhaul of Unit 1 at the Maentwrog Hydroelectric Power Station in North Wales.

The project upgrade was awarded through a competitive tender process with the aim of ensuring greater reliability of the unit and ultimately reducing future outages.

According to Quartzelec, the service overhaul included the dismantling of the 15kV, 11.6MW, 50Hz, 600rpm GEC Alsthom generator, originally manufactured in 1991, as well as associated turbine components.

As part of the service, the generator’s stator and rotor were inspected, cleaned and tested at Quartzelec’s facility in Rugby. Also, a core stud tension check was conducted and stator windings re-varnished.

James Barnwell, Quartzelec’s project lead based in Rugby commented in a statement: “This project wasn’t just about maintaining the equipment at Maentwrog to ensure continued reliable and safe operation, but also about futureproofing it with advanced monitoring capabilities”.

The monitoring capabilities are provided by the LIFEVIEW Partial Discharge monitoring unit that was implemented to extend the lifecycle and enhance the safety of the equipment, according to Quartzelec.