Blind Slough Hydro Refurbishment Project
3 January 2024
Now fully commissioned, the Blind Slough refurbishment project in Alaska was a full replant of the original turbine and associated equipment.
Blind Slough has produced hydroelectricity from the waters of Crystal Lake in Petersburg, Alaska for almost 100 years. Following a condition assessment of the equipment during the planning stages of the project, it was recommended that a full upgrade would keep the plant operational and increase the power generation. The new 2.2MW Twin Jet Pelton turbine replaces a 1955 Pelton and other powerhouse equipment to keep the facility operational well into the future, supplying around 25% of the Power consumed by Petersburg.
Globally, there is an increasing need to modernise and optimise aging installations to maintain their lifespan and increase generation. Modern technology brings increased safety, reliability, and efficiency.
The USA in particular has a number of incentives and grants currently in place to support the future of hydropower facilities. Gilkes have conducted recent upgrade and refurbishment work on several plants in the USA. Please visit our case studies page and search modernisation to see some examples.
Gilkes Plant Modernisation Services
Following a site survey and condition assessment by our engineers, Gilkes can offer refurbishment and optimisation work for both mechanical and electrical equipment: From small components, through re-governing, right through to complete turbine replacement resulting in improved performance and functionality.
Refurbishment
- Reconditioning of existing components to as new.
- Replacement of secondary or minor components.
- Supply of direct replacement or equivalent spare parts.
Optimisation
- Replacement of primary components with updated technology.
- Replacement of significant parts of the installation.
- Complete replanting of the scheme.
Get in Touch
Contact our Hydro Sales Team for an initial assessment and to find out more about our modernisation services.
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