HYDROPOWER ENGINEERING

Together with dam engineering, the design of hydropower plants has, over recent years, become another of the firm’s core activities.
The firm’s first hydropower project was the Rio Grande pumping plant (750 MW) in Argentina designed and built in the 1960s.

Over the past few years SP has realised several large projects becoming an Italian and European leader in the sector of hydroelectric engineering, including:

- 4 No. plants in operation for a total of over 1000 MW

- 2 No. enormous plants under construction totalling over 7000 MW

- 3 No. plants under design for over 1000 MW

- 8 No. plants under feasibility study for a total of over 18000 MW

IN OPERATION - the following are examples of some of our most important plants, recently brought on–line:

- Gilgel Gibe, underground power house with IP = 200 MW, in Ethiopia

- Gibe II, open-air power house with IP = 420 MW, in Ethiopia
- Bumbuna, open-air power house with IP = 50 MW, in Sierra Leone
- Beles, underground power house with IP = 460 MW, in Ethiopia

UNDER CONSTRUCTION – the most important plants designed by SP and which are presently under construction include:

- Gibe III, open-air power house with IP = 1870 MW, in Ethiopia

- Grand Ethiopian Renaissance, two open-air power houses with total IP = 5200 MW, in Ethiopia

- Bujagali, open-air power house with IP = 250 MW, in Uganda

UNDER DESIGN - SP is currently engaged in the design of several large plants including:

- Chespi, underground power house with IP = 420 MW, in Ecuador

- Muchinga, open-air power house with IP = 250 MW, in Zambia

- Rumakali, underground power house with IP = 510 MW, in Tanzania

ORGANIZATION - Studio Pietrangeli offers its clients a full range of engineering services during design, construction, testing and operation of its plants. SP’s staff includes international experts in the various engineering disciplines including civil, mechanical and electrical engineers, economists, environmental experts, etc..

Recently the firm has become increasingly specialized in so-called “fast-track” projects requiring a very short time from conception of the idea to operation of the plant.

The special techniques required for these extremely fast designs include intense use of the most up-to-date technologies such as satellite imagery, laser scanning, helicopter surveys, surface geotechnics, and the like, for investigation purposes, combined with the vast experience and the sound engineering judgement of the firm’s senior engineers.

Beles MPP ( Ethiopia )
460 MW

Bumbuna HPP ( Sierra Leone )
50 / 275 MW

Gilgel Gibe HPP ( Ethiopia )
200 MW

Gibe II HPP ( Ethiopia )
420 MW

Gibe III HPP ( Ethiopia )
1870 MW

Rio Grande PSP ( Argentina )
750 MW

Grand Renaissance ( Ethiopia )
5200 MW

Muchinga ( Zambia )
250 MW