Little Long Hydropower Plant to Undergo Complete Retrofit

September 7, 2017

The Little Long plant on the Mattagami River in Ontario is about to undergo its first significant upgrade since coming online in 1963. Like many other hydro plants, it’s remained virtually unchanged. Ontario Power Generation recently hired GE for a complete mechanical overhaul of Little Long’s two oldest turbines.

Over the next two years, GE will engineer and install new generators, which will cost less to operate. The comprehensive overhaul includes the replacement of the units’ switchgears and electrical components, as well as the supply and installation of a new head gate for one unit.

Currently, the capacity of each turbine generator is rated at 65.9 megawatts (MW). When the overhaul is complete, they will be able to generate about 72 MW each. The total power station will reach 219 MW.

“When we’re finished, the turbines will perform better, and they’ll have greater power and efficiency,” says Gilles Jutras, GE’s director of sales for hydro service in Canada.

Source: http://www.ge.com/reports/goodbye-midcentury-modern-hello-21st-century-hydropower/