Ambuklao and Binga Rehabilitation Project, Philippines

Hydropower

SNAPB (SN Aboitiz Power-Benguet Inc., a Joint Venture between SN Power of Norway and Aboitiz of the Philippines) won in November 2007 a public auction for the acquisition of the two hydroelectric plants called Ambuklao and Binga located in the Benguet Province, Northern Luzon, Philippines. Both projects were in need of major rehabilitation and Norconsult was engaged as the owners engineer.

Project name

Ambuklao and Binga Rehabilitation Project

Client

SN Aboitiz Power-Benguet Inc

Location

Philippines

Time span

2008 to 2013

Assignment

The 3x25 = 75 MW Ambuklao plant was commissioned in 1956 but had been out of operation since 1999. The 4x25 = 100 MW Binga plant was commissioned in 1960 and in need of a major rehabilitation. Both plants draw water from reservoirs where active volumes had been significantly reduced by sediment accumulation. The sediments also impeded operation of the intakes. The Project consisted of rehabilitation of civil structures including intake, access tunnels and tailrace outlet and electro-mechanical equipment.

Solution

Norconsult was SNAPBs engineer in design of rehabilitation works, preparation of tender documents for both civil works and electro-mechanical equipment, tender evaluation, negotiations of contracts and supervision of rehabilitation works and installations. Due to damage to the closing devices of the Ambuklao intake, innovative engineering has been performed for valve leak reduction and plugging of the existing power tunnel.