The installation of the first power generation unit at the Ituango Hydroelectric Project has begun
Much of the suction pipe of what will become Generation Unit No. 1 has already been installed.
- Fecha de publicación
- 2021-01-12 00:00
- Titulo
- The installation of the first power generation unit at the Ituango Hydroelectric Project has begun
- Contenido
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Much of the suction pipe of what will become Generation Unit No. 1 has already been installed.
- A milestone has been reached that demonstrates the progress achieved by the Project on its technical recovery
- The first power generation units are expected to begin to operate in the first half of 2022, contributing to the country’s development and to the quality of life of millions of people
EPM continues to move forward in the works to start up operations at the Ituango Hydroelectric Project by the scheduled dates. In a maneuver that involved thorough planning and precision, a section of suction pipe No. 1 was installed, which is the first step in the assembly of what will become the project’s first generation unit, located on the south side of the powerhouse.
Many of the technical tasks involved in the recovery works are being carried out in the south section, which demonstrates EPM’s commitment to start up operations of the first two power generation units in the first half of 2022.
About 400 people were required to carry out the maneuver, the most noteworthy of which were the welders involved in assembling the various sections and joining the junction rings that form part of the suction pipe.
Mónica Ruiz Arbeláez, deputy CEO of EPM, in celebrating the progress made by the project, said: “Upon reaching this milestone, EPM continues to move forward in the technical recovery of the works, in compliance with the decision of the National Environmental Licensing Authority (ANLA, for the Spanish original), which allows, as a preventive measure, to perform activities and engineering works aimed at ensuring the project’s integrity, reducing the risks associated with the contingency, and assigning top priority to the preservation of the lives of the communities downstream from the project.
In this manner, the recovery of the Ituango Hydroelectric Project continues to move forward, for a project that will supply 17% of the electricity that Colombia requires to continue growing. Our commitment is to ensure Colombia’s energy security, and for this reason we continue to press forward.”
The works in this section involved connecting 3 junction rings, which are large structures, each weighing 21 tons and measuring 7.75 meters long and 7 meters in diameter, which are the key pieces of what will become the suction pipe. The main function of this section is to evacuate the water from the turbines, which later flows into cavern of the surge tank, and ultimately returns to the Cauca River.
“By performing this activity, we can now be sure that there are no other hollow spots in this area, which is an important sign that enables us to continue the assembly and concrete works that must be carried out for what will become the generation units 1 and 2. Work also continues of equipping the powerhouse, because in a couple of months installation of equipment will begin, such as the permanent bridge crane, and power transformers, which will drastically change the appearance of the cave,” said Engineer William Giraldo Jiménez, Vice-President of Power Generation Projects, who is responsible for developing the Ituango Hydroelectric Project.
EPM achieves results that build confidence and demonstrate progress in serving the country’s development and contributing to life in harmony for a better world