ANDRITZ HYDRO GmbH, a member of international technology group ANDRITZ, has recently been contracted by the Spanish energy utility IBERDROLA GENERACIÓN to supply the electro-mechanical equipment and the penstock for the new pumped storage hydropower plant Gouvães in Portugal. The total contract value for ANDRITZ amounts to about EUR 40M.
The scope of delivery comprises design, manufacturing, supply, and installation supervision for the complete electro- and hydro-mechanical equipment, including reversible pump turbines, motor generators, and electrical power systems, as well as design, manufacturing, supply, and complete installation of a penstock (including three bifurcators) with a total weight of about 12,000 tons, an average diameter of about 5,400 mm and a length of 2.5 km.
It will be built on the Támega River in Northern Portugal, close to the city of Porto. Gouvães will cover the need for peak-load energy and provide fast-responding regulating power. Together with the base load generation from the other two power stations of smaller size, this scheme will ideally complement the volatile electricity generation from wind power, which has been growing significantly in recent years. Additionally, the project will have a very positive impact on the employment situation in the region.
