Caracoles Hydroelectric Project Reaches 68% Completion

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas). San Juan, an andine province of Argentina, is executing the “proyecto Caracoles,” which includes the construction of a dam and a hydroelectric power station. The undertaking is regarded as the most important power station currently built in Argentina due to its importance in balancing the energetic deficit by providing electricity to the province of San Juan and its surroundings.

Funds for this capital construction project were obtained through the contribution from the province of San Juan and the federal government. The Techint - Panedile joint venture has reached 68% construction completion with almost 1,000 people working in the hydroelectric complex. Completion is scheduled for the second quarter of 2008.

The new dam over the San Juan River, located 53 km from San Juan city will be equipped with two 65 MW Francis type turbines and a 43 Km /134 KV power transmission line linking Caracoles and San Juan city. Among other ancillary works are: consolidation and completion of basic engineering, detail engineering, supplier engineering review, procurement, civil works and electromechanical assembly, precommisioning and start-up.

The electromechanical phase began with the arrival of the Y branch (40 tons of equipment) from the Russian city of St Petersburg last May 22. These electromechanical components will conduct water through the adduction tunnel towards the turbine, inside the dam´s engine room. This is the most sensitive phase in the project since it involves detailing and precision works including setting up the equipment to allow for the transformation of hydric energy into electric energy. The water that will generate energy is going to circulate throughout the tunnel that runs through the middle of the mountain.

The tunnel’s final section has a 200 meter fall, and since there are two turbines, the steel Y branch is fundamental to regulate the water volume that reaches 90 cubic meters per second.

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