Alstom has received two contracts for the modernisation of two hydro power plants in the Canton Glarus and the Canton Valais, Switzerland, worth more than €9m.

Under the first contract, Alstom will upgrade the exciters and discharges of the 37.5MWA hydro generators units 1 and 2 in the Löntsch power plant located in the Canton Glarus for Axpo Power.

The contract scope includes the conversion of the excitation system for brushless regulators, replacing of voltage transformers and circuit breakers with enclosed switchgears and the installation of fully insulated shockproof busbars for the discharges.

The contract includes consecutive processing of machinery, which is scheduled to be completed during the middle quarters of 2015 and 2016 respectively.

With an average annual power generation of 120 million kWh, the Löntsch power plant uses the water of Lake Klöntal fed by a catchment basin of 82km² in the Glarus Alps (central Switzerland).

As part of the second contract, Alstom will replace the four rotors and poles on the Sécheron machines at the Nendaz power plant in Valais for Grande Dixence and Hydro Exploitation.

Alstom Switzerland and Germany sales and project management service head Christoph Ortmanns said, “This order endorses our strategy to support customers with a full services and retrofit offering to secure operational reliability and to optimise their asset management throughout the plant’s lifespan.”