The National Electricity Corp of Sudan has awarded two contracts worth around $8.7 million to VA Tech Hydro for the modernisation and rehabilitation of a hydro plant on the Blue Nile. The first contract is for rehabilitation of turbine No 4 at the Roseires power plant. This unit is a 44 MW vertical Kaplan turbine supplied and installed 30 years ago by VA Tech Hydro. The unit will receive a new turbine runner and new guide vanes. Other turbine components will be overhauled and repaired where needed. The work has been made necessary by the wear resulting from the heavy silt load in the waters of the Blue Nile.
The second contract covers the turbine speed governors which will be replaced by digital governors and new instrumentation. Control valves and oil pressure units will be overhauled too. Site work is due to start in early 2002, after completion of the rehabilitation of turbines 5, 6 and 7, which is also being carried out by VA Tech Hydro under a separate contract.
