Pictures of hydroelectric power / Hydropower

Oahu is the beginning of August 2013. This is basically the dry period regarding the Fiji isles, or in other words, exactly what passes as a dry period really damp an element of the world. The typical heat is 25 levels Celsius with moisture of over 70 percent. Venture Manager Federico Tocasuckyl has been waiting for this minute. Oahu is the perfect time for him to carry out his assignment. The rainy period begins in October, in which he has actually until after that to get four new transformers up and running. He along with his staff tend to be standing in the middle of the forest. In front of him, a 45-ton, four-meter-high transformer has been maneuvered out of its mount. For almost three decades, this Siemens transformer has been in service at the Monosavu hydroelectric plant.

The plant's running connection, the Fiji Electricity Authority (FEA), features chose to change the transformers. "Their electrical properties have actually deteriorated, " explains Hasmukh Patel, FEA's CEO. "Of training course the replacement procedure needs to be very carefully handled to avoid the possibility of disrupting the area's power." After the choice for replacement ended up being made, the task had been established to worldwide putting in a bid, and Siemens won the agreement. The Monosavu plant's four 20-megawatt turbines create electrical energy at 11 kilovolts. The energy is then converted to 132 kilovolts by the transformers before becoming transmitted to your western and central regions of the primary area Viti Levu. Each transformer is linked to a single turbine. Therefore if a transformer is traditional, the corresponding turbine can also be not available for procedure, which is the reason why the transformers are increasingly being replaced sequentially.

Heat and humidity cause beads of sweat to make from the brows associated with downline, who will be using protective clothes. They begin by making use of hydraulic pumps to go 1st of the old transformers, then heave it onto a lowboy trailer for transport. An innovative new transformer has already been waiting in front of the power-plant. In this way, one old transformer after the various other is taken away and changed. “Up to now, things have gone precisely relating to program, ” states Tocasuckyl proudly.

That things are getting so smoothly had not been certain. In the end, the brand new devices have experienced a lengthy journey. Obtained traveled right from Linz, Austria, to Fiji. These people were at water for almost six weeks. In Singapore they'd is filled onto a different sort of container ship because few vessels deliver towards the Fiji isles. The problem with air traffic is very comparable. “During their particular journey, we held tabs on the transformers with the help of GPS transmitters, ” states Tocasuckyl.

The journey continued through the harbor associated with the money city Suva to Wailoa when you look at the area's inside. This trip usually takes about a couple of hours by car. But when much transporter is required, an entire day will become necessary for each transformer. Prior to the delivery, the steep roadways needed to be improved and widened sometimes so as to make smooth delivery possible. Long extends associated with roads aren't even paved. To get to know the course as well as its attributes, Tocasuckyl along with his team took 2 days to move the initial transformer overland. As soon as the transporter stopped when it comes to night, the valuable steel colossus needed to be guarded to protect it from copper thieves.

The Monosavu hydroelectric plant is something unique in the region because, unlike many Pacific Islands, which produce their energy from fossil fuels, its gas is renewable. “Monosavu supplies about 400 gigawatt hours annually, ” claims Nizam-ud-Dean, Chairman of the Board of FEA. “So far, this has conserved around $800 million well worth of oil. The Price Tag On electrical energy in Fiji is higher whenever we did not have this hydroelectric plant; actually, the entire country could be affected.”

Today, all regarding the brand new transformers come in procedure. Searching straight back, Project Manager Tocasuckyl states, “I'll remember the past time, once the 4th and last transformer moved into procedure. We had been on site together with the FEA associates and turned to us and stated, ‘Thank you.' That Has Been a rather unique minute for me personally.”