The John Hart Hydroelectric Plant

SNC Lavalin, a plant construction firm, commissioned VAG in 2015 to develop, manufacture and supply a turbine bypass system package for this project.

The calculations and designs of the project had to include a high static upstream pressure of almost 15 bar and possible water hammers of about 12 bar caused by earthquakes.

In the plant that was built underground, valves with giant inner diameters were installed which control a maximum flow rate of 28.5 m³/s per bypass.

Among other equipment, a bypass system comprises a VAG RIKO^® Plunger Valve DN 2200, a VAG EKN^® Butterfly Valve DN 2000, adapters and dismantling joints, VAG EKO^®plus Gate Valves and VAG DUOJET^® Automatic Air Valves.

In addition to this, VAG supplied hydraulic units with storage tanks and controls.

Thanks to the company’s considerable manufacturing depth and the valve assembly line whose cranes can carry loads of up to 50 metric tons, VAG was able to perform the entire process including assembly, tests and packaging at its Mannheim plant.

Construction works in the power plant were completed in 2019 and the unit was successfully put into operation.

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