SQUARING THE CIRCLE

The Grand River Dam Authority (GRDA) has four identical six-blades vertical Kaplan units of 35 MW installed at Markham Ferry in Oklahoma, USA. The units were put into service some 45 years ago.

In 2012, the plant was due for a thorough refurbishment and upgrade program.

GRDA’s objectives were to extend the lifetime of their plant with increased efficiency and higher output, to implement fish-friendly technology, while at the same time minimizing the risk of oil leakage in the river.

A TAILORED RETROFIT

When GE Renewable Energy service teams arrived on site, they assessed the situation and proposed an individually tailored plan addressing all the customer’s requirements.

The upgraded units were designed with oil-free technology, both for the distributor and Kaplan runner. It included greaseless bushings for the wicket gates, new design of oil-free Kaplan units, including new seal technology.

The risk of oil leaking into the water were greatly minimized. A safe passage for fish was installed in the Grand river to help preserve the natural balance of the lake.

Thanks to this upgrade, the reliability of Markham Ferry Kaplan units increased and all for the good of the Grand River region.