Its name is 'Site C' and in fact, it is the key with which ATB Group has opened the doors to its own business horizons in a tangible way as well as to commercial opportunities in the North American market. The agreement signed in April of this year with BC Hydro - the utility that generates and distributes electrical energy to 95% of the population of the province of British Columbia (Canada) - gave us the green light to start organising the supply of all the hydro-mechanical parts of the 1100 MW hydroelectric system being built along the course of the Peace River. By 2024, it will distribute a total of 5100 gigawatts of electricity every year over the whole geographic area of the province.
ATB will also make their contribution to realize this development plan: the Hydro Mechanical Equipment Division of the company led by Sergio Trombini was chosen by the client as the main supplier of HME Package of the project. ATB was entrusted the entire process, from engineering the hydro-mechanical parts to making them, from transporting them to the site to the final inspection as well as commissioning.
So far, the project is progressing perfectly in line with the deadlines agreed upon with the client. The works are progressing, especially on the first two INOGs (Intake Operating Gate)- 130 tons each-, that are taking shape in these weeks at the Roncadelle workshops in Brescia. In fact, this type of gate is among the most complex components included in the package. The complete set of INOGs is due to be delivered within the first half of 2020. Afterwards, we will start manufacturing the rest of the elements, starting with the SPOGs (spillway operating gates) and LLOGs (low level operating gates).
«We are talking about components that require welding and high-precision mechanical machining», explains Gianluca Raseni, Operations Manager of the Hydro Mechanical Equipment Division. «To optimise deadlines during the assembly process, we have decided to push prefabrication to the most by high productivity cutting systems». The fixed parts of the first stage have been assigned to the ATB Colombian plant, whereas the ones being made at the Artogne hub, in Valle Camonica, Province of Brescia, are the fixed parts of the second stage. «Meanwhile, in Canada», concludes Raseni, «our customer is starting the first operations to assemble the pieces sent while the winches for the radial SPOGs and the 8 DTMG (Draft Tube Maintenance Gate) gates are being produced».
