Electro-mechanical equipment sought for small hydro project in France

French hydropower producer Compagnie Nationale du Rhône (CNR) has launched an international tender to identify companies or consortia able to supply and install electro-mechanical equipment and a fishpass for a small hydropower plant to be built at the site of the Vallabrègues dam in the southern department of Gard. Pre-qualification applications are sought by 15 November.

The 8.5 MW Vallabrègues run-of-river project will be equipped with a single turbine-generating unit, which will operate under a head of 11 m, as well as an adjacent fish ladder, according to the tender notice published on the EU’s procurement website, TED, on 25 September.

CNR seeks the supply, installation, testing and commissioning of a vertical-axis Kaplan turbine and distributor, an air-cooled generator, a high-voltage transformer, downstream valve and actuator, downstream stoplogs, an oil hydraulic unit, drainage, A/C and D/C auxiliaries, automation and power boxes, a control and telecoms system, grid connection equipment, lighting, handling equipment and spare parts. For the water intake, it seeks a fish grill, a loading screen and upstream stoplog, and for the fish ladder, it seeks valves, digital controls and metering equipment. The associated civil works will be tendered separately. The contract is expected to take 36 months from award. Interested bidders must have an annual turnover in excess of €20 million and references for the supply and installation of Kaplan turbine-generating units, intake systems, trashracks and screens over the last ten years.

Pre-qualification applications must be submitted in French electronically using CNR’s online bidding platform at www.cnr.tm.fr. Further information on the bidding procedure can be obtained at: https://www.cnr.tm.fr/le-modele-cnr/la-strategie-et-nos-engagements/tout-savoir-sur-notre-service-achats.

For further information concerning the contract with reference number 18-155, contact: Sandrine Dubut, Purchasing Department, Compagnie Nationale du Rhône, 2 rue André Bonin, Lyon 69316, France; Tel: +33 4 72 00 18 36; Email: s.dubut@cnr.tm.fr.