Completion of the DYCHÓW Water Power Plant Modernization - 90 MW

On September 16th, the Dychów Water Power Plant celebrated the completion of the complex modernization of the plant. The Act on the Completion of Modernization Works was signed, among others, by the Mr. Stanisław Dobrzański - President of the PSE S.A. (Polish Power Grid Company) Management Board and Mr. Jan Tokarz - President of the ESP S.A. (Pumped Storage Power Plants Company) Management Board. The event hosted also the representatives of the national authorities and companies connected with the electric power sector.

After over 50 years of operation, the Dychów Water Power Plant required comprehensive reconstruction in the scope which would allow for its safe exploitation within the years to come. In 1997, a decision to carry out modernization project was taken. It was the result of numerous aspects connected with the plant's situation at that time. The damage of the slope at the power plant was a turning point for taking up the modernization and accelerated the realization of the works planned.

The Dychów Water Power Plant is one of the largest plants of the Lubuskie voivodships. When considering the modernization, both the social aspects and the possibility to ensure employment for the plant's employees were taken into account. Another argument for involving in the comprehensive reconstruction of the plant was its unique character and its role in the water energy sector. The Dychów Water Power Plant is an important installation, operating in line with the present trends of the European and global energy sector, namely the use of renewable energy sources. This plant produces electric energy "using water", which is absolutely safe for the natural environment. The possibility to use the Dychów Water Power Plant's potential was a vital factor for undertaking the modernization process. All these circumstances were taken into consideration while making a decision to reconstruct the hydro-technical installations of the plant after they were destroyed. The time perspective proves that it was definitely the right decision.

As a result of the modernization, the installed power was increased up to 90 MW and the efficiency of the hydro-assemblies' production grew up to 93%. Moreover, the pumping assemblies' efficiency was increased and at present amounts to 88%. The average annual production for the entire plant grew from 98 GWh to 120 GWh per year. The basic confirmation of the legitimacy and positive results of the modernization is primarily the indicator of the transformation cycle efficiency. Before the modernization it amounted to 61%, while after modernization - up to 71%. It is a factor of great economic importance for the plant. Due to hydro-technical conditions of the plant, it was not possible to considerably improve its installed power.

It is worth noting also that most of the objectives concerning the modernization were successfully achieved. The power plant was thoroughly reconstructed. Its equipment, hydro-technical devices, construction conditions, steering system and automation system were modernized. The results of works may be observed even in the general presentation of the plant. Both its exterior aspects and interiors were renewed. The best example is the modern, entirely modernized control room. The steering rooms were fully computerized and the operation systems were modernized and automatized.

One may conclude that the Dychów Water Power Plant has reached the technical and exploitation level of other European power plants. The modernization carried out will allow the plant to cope with the competition of enterprises operating on the European Union market.

At the present moment, the Dychów Water Power Plant is prepared to a period of at least 30 years of exploitation without it being necessary to make considerable investments for modernization works.

We hope that the resources offered by the PSPP Company to modernize this plant will have a considerable positive effect on the efficiency of electric energy production and improvement of economic and technical indicators.

The modernized the Dychów Water Power Plant may be the pride of the PSPP Company as for the production of energy using the renewable sources in the country.


A bit of history, technical parameters

The Dychów hydro-technical system was exploited for about 60 years (with an interruption in the years 1945 - 52). In 1995, the PSPP Company, the plant's owner, initiated the preparation works for the comprehensive and complex modernization of the plant.

On April 23rd, 1997 an accident happened in the Dychów Water Power Plant - the ground subsided in the area of a left abutment and the resistance wall of the water catch. The slip reached the road and the part of a slope between the road and the railway track.

The works connected with the Dychów hydro-technical system were initiated directly after the above mentioned incident. Taking advantage of the stoppage of about 8 months in the plant's operation, a great deal of reconstruction and modernization works was completed:
- reconstruction of water-lock No 2,
- modernization of the reinforcements of the inlet channel and upper reservoir,
- reconstruction of the underwater section of the plant's building,
- reconstruction of the securing system for the lower position.

In the years 1998 - 2000, the supplementary modernization works were carried out in the area of the water catch, slope and technological pipe system shaft.

The modernization of the Dychów hydro-technical system initiated in 2002 was aimed at reconstructing and modernizing the installations and technological equipment of the hydro-technical system in order to allow for its further exploitation for the period of 30 years.

The above aim was achieved by:
- reconstructing the exploited installations and machinery,
- modernizing the obsolete machinery,
- automatising the machinery,
- ensuring their safe operation,
- improving the effectiveness of the functioning of the equipment and increasing the production results.

The Dychów hydro-technical system is situated in the Lubuskie voivodship. The Krzywaniec reservoir, with the water pipe to the Dychów hydro-energy system, is located in the middle course of the down-stream of the Bóbr River (42nd kilometer).
The reservoir closes the reception basin having the surface of 5592 km2. The power plant is located in the town of Dychów, in the Krośnieński poviat, at a distance of about 8 km from the town of Krosno Odrzańskie.
The installations of the hydro-technical system were built in the years 1933 - 37. The power plant was in operation until 1945. Its reactivation took place in 1952. The hydro-technical system in composed of:
- the water weir in Krzywaniec,
- the derivation channel Krzywaniec - Dychów,
- the reservoir for upper 24-hours leveling in Dychów,
- the water pipe for the pipe system,
- the pressure pipe systems,
- the pumped storage power plant - Dychów, having the installed power of 90 MW,
- the water breach from the power plant,
- the water weir in Raduszec Stary,
- the Bóbr River bed at the stretch between Krzywaniec Weir - Dychów Weir.

The Dychów water power plant is equipped with three vertical turbine sets composed of Kaplan turbines.

Technical parameters of the turbine sets after modernization:

Turbines I and III
- nominal power: 30,5 MW
- slope net: 28,0 m
- turbine capacity: 119.30 m3/s
- nominal revolution: 187,5 min
- rotor's diameter: 4000 mm.

Turbine II
- nominal power: 30.37 MW
- slope net: 28,0 m
- turbine capacity: 119.30 m3/s
- nominal revolution: 187,5 min
- rotor's diameter: 4000 mm