Voith to upgrade hydropower plant in New Zealand
Contact is looking to increase its generation output using the same water flow by replacing four turbines with a more efficient and modern design.
Under the contract, signed back in May, Voith Hydro will be responsible for engineering, scale model testing, manufacturing, installation and commissioning of the four new turbines with 40 MW capacity each.
The hydraulic model testing of the turbine will be done at Voith Hydro’s facilities in York, US, in August.
The project is scheduled to be completed by 2024 and will support New Zealand’s ambitious goals to lower carbon emissions.
Stephen Lewis, President, CEO of Voith Hydro APAC, said: “Voith Hydro is honoured to be responsible for the efficiency and performance improvements of the turbines at the historic Roxburgh power station.”
The project will be executed in a collaboration between Voith Hydro engineering centers in the US, Germany and India, and the new turbines will be manufactured at Voith Hydro’s manufacturing facility in Vadodara, India.
The site works will be performed by local construction workers from a New Zealand-based subcontractor.
“Voith Hydro is strongly committed to the long-term development of hydropower in Australia and New Zealand,” added Lewis.
Mike Fuge, CEO of Contact Energy, said: “We expect Voith will supplement its international experts with local construction workers and NZ-based contractors, which is positive news for the local Alexandra and Roxburgh communities. “Projects like these will have real, tangible effects for our local communities.”