ANDRITZ to modernize Innertkirchen 1 and Handeck 2 hydropower stations, Switzerland

The project to modernize the two plants built over 60 years ago makes a substantial contribution towards covering peak energy demand to compensate for volatile wind and solar energy supplies. Due to the modernization, an additional 70 gigawatt-hours will be generated every year, thus covering the energy demand for more than 14,000 households.

The order comprises supply, installation, and commissioning of two vertical, six-jet Pelton turbines with an output of 150 and 90 megawatts, respectively, and of a vertical synchronous generator (output: 165 megavolt-amperes) including additional equipment. This upgrade will boost the overall output of the two hydropower plants by 280 megawatts to reach 670 megawatts.

By building a second head race, the flow rate of the water and thus the friction losses in the pressure pipes will be reduced. As a result, more energy can be generated from the water volume used in both power stations. A new return water reservoir also upgrades the plant to provide ecological benefits.

With 26 units in nine hydropower plants, Kraftwerke Oberhasli AG, one of Switzerland’s leading hydropower plant operators, provides a total output of approximately 2,350 gigawatt-hours, representing around 7% of the total output from all Swiss hydropower plants.

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The ANDRITZ GROUP

International technology Group ANDRITZ is a globally leading supplier of plants, equipment, and services for hydropower stations, the pulp and paper industry, solid/liquid separation in the municipal and industrial sectors, the steel industry, and the production of animal feed and biomass pellets. In addition, ANDRITZ offers technologies for certain other sectors including automation, pumps, machinery for nonwovens and plastic films, steam boiler plants, biomass boilers and gasification plants for energy generation, flue gas cleaning plants, plants for the production of panelboard (MDF), thermal sludge utilization, and torrefaction plants. The publicly listed ANDRITZ GROUP is headquartered in Graz, Austria and has a staff of approximately 16,700 employees worldwide. ANDRITZ operates over 180 production sites as well as service and sales companies all around the world.

ANDRITZ HYDRO

ANDRITZ HYDRO supplies electromechanical equipment for hydropower stations. With over 170 years of accumulated experience and more than 30,000 turbines installed totaling approximately 400,000 megawatts output, the business area is one of the world’s leading suppliers for hydraulic power generation, offering the complete product portfolio, including turbines, generators, and additional equipment of all types and sizes: “from water to wire” for small-scale hydropower stations up to outputs of more than 800 megawatts. ANDRITZ HYDRO also holds a top position in the growing hydropower plant service, refurbishment, and upgrade market. Pumps (for water transport, irrigation, and applications for various industries) and turbogenerators for thermal power stations are also allocated to the business area.