Alstom’s new contract La Romaine 2, worth €70 million

Quebec hydropower market

Reinforces Alstom’s leadership position in Quebec hydropower market

Alstom Hydro will supply two 320 MW turbine/generator units to the new complex that will consist of four hydropower generating stations with an annual output of 8.0 TWh.

Alstom Hydro, world leader in the supply of hydropower equipment and services, has signed a contract with Hydro-Quebec, one of the largest electric utilities in North America, to provide key equipment to the new hydroelectric complex on the La Romaine River in Quebec. The project, named La Romaine 2, is located north of the municipality of Havre-Saint-Pierre on the north shore of the St. Lawrence River.

Under the terms and conditions of this contract, worth €70 million, Alstom Hydro will supply two turbine/generator units to the new complex that will consist of four hydropower generating stations with an annual output of 8.0 TWh. Each unit will comprise one 320 MW vertical Francis turbine and the associated generator, with other key equipment including two inlet valves and two governing systems. Alstom is responsible for installing the equipment.

Canada is one of the world’s largest producers of hydropower electricity (with 475 hydropower plants, providing more than 71 000 MW). Hydropower supplies 60% of the country’s electricity needs and 13% of worldwide hydropower generation each year. Hydropower represents 98 % of Quebec’s power generation. Hydropower generation is produced mainly in Quebec, Newfoundland, Ontario, Manitoba and in British Colombia.

This project is the first of four power plants to be constructed in the next ten years on the La Romaine River. Commissioning is planned for the end of 2014. Core components will be engineered and largely manufactured in Quebec, at Alstom Hydro’s factory in Sorel-Tracy, where Alstom invested massively in the recent years to address the growing North American Hydro market. With a long experience in Canada, Alstom has been involved in many other projects such as Grand Mere (1999), Eastmain (2002), and more recently, La Sarcelle (2007).

“We are pleased about this new contract which demonstrates once again Hydro-Quebec’s ongoing confidence in Alstom’s flagship product,” said Philippe Cochet, President Alstom Hydro. “It confirms Alstom’s leadership positioning in this region which has already installed or retrofitted approximately 50% of the installed capacity in the province of Quebec.”

Source: Alstom