Voith Celebrates Dedication of Badger Hydro Plant
Voith was the main hydroelectric equipment supplier for Kaukauna Utilities' retrofit of two existing hydroelectric facilities into one new plant
KAUKAUNA, Wis., May 14, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Voith participated in Kaukauna Utilities Badger Hydro Plant's formal dedication yesterday in Kaukauna, Wisconsin. The Badger Hydro Plant combines hydraulic capacity of the 105-year-old "old" Badger plant and the 85-year-old "new" Badger plant into a new single 2-unit plant resulting in more capacity than the previous two plants combined. Voith was heavily involved in the project, as Voith Hydro supplied two Kaplan turbines and automation equipment, while Voith Turbo provided the speed increasers. The 7 MW plant has a 50-year license from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. It is estimated that 4,000 households will benefit from the clean, reliable energy produced by the Badger Hydro Plant.
"The Badger Hydro Plant is an exciting project not only for Kaukauna Utilities and its customers, it's one of Voith's flagship projects," said Voith Chief Operating Officer Stan Kocon. "The Badger Plant seamlessly combines technology from two of Voith's divisions in a power plant that will provide additional clean and renewable power to Kaukauna Utilities customers for generations to come."
The Badger Hydro Plant is indicative of much of the current focus of the U.S. hydropower industry. Many utilities and developers are retrofitting existing hydropower plants such as Badger to increase output, or turning to the United States' approximately 80,000 non-powered dams and other water infrastructure to add hydropower production. Voith Hydro is involved with many of these projects, including the expansion of PPL Generation's Holtwood Hydroelectric Facility in Pennsylvania, AMP's Ohio River Projects, and Missouri River Energy Services' Red Rock Hydroelectric Project in Iowa.
"Though hydropower is one of our oldest sources of energy, it remains one of the most dynamic," Kocon continued. "As we have done for over 135 years, Voith Hydro looks forward to harnessing the power of our water resources to provide low-cost and low carbon-emitting hydropower to homes and businesses across the U.S."
The Importance of Hydropower
Hydropower is the largest, oldest and also most reliable form of energy generation. Worldwide it makes an indispensible contribution to stable power supplies and hence to economic and social development – both in industrial countries and emerging markets. At the same time, hydropower significantly contributes to climate-protecting energy generation. Voith has been a leading supplier of this technology since the early beginning, and continuously develops it further.
About the Company
Voith sets standards in the markets energy, oil & gas, paper, raw materials and transportation & automotive. Founded in 1867, Voith employs more than 43,000 people, generates EUR 5.7 billion in sales, operates in about 50 countries around the world and is today one of the biggest family-owned companies in Europe.
Voith Hydro is a Group Division of Voith and – with a workforce of over 5,300 employees and a sales volume of more than EUR 1.3 billion – is one of the worldwide leading full-line suppliers for the equipment of hydropower plants. With operating units in the global hydropower markets the company offers its services locally and close to the customer. In the U.S., Voith Hydro is headquartered in York, Pennsylvania, where it has manufactured hydropower equipment for over 135 years.
http://www.york.voithhydro.com
CONTACT: Lewis Lowe, 202-333-2234
SOURCE Voith Hydro
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