Innovative Francis turbine design to meet grid requirements

Recent changes to the electricity market are reflected in the evolution of consumer requirements. For decades, most electricity generating companies have been operating as public utilities, and the main drivers were continuity of supply and long-term asset management, therefore the classical rehabilitation scope of work was restoration of mechanical integrity and replacement of obsolete components. Improvement of hydraulic performance was often more of an additional benefit than a primary objective for the project. However, hydro’s increasing contribution to grid stability has made improved unit performance a necessity. This paper describes examples of innovative rehabilitation design to meet modern requirements.