Part of the upgrade work was to replace existing pumps with a new more efficient system to ensure the long term security of supplies. SPP won the contract not only to design and supply the pump equipment but to also install it.
SPP selected four BHR80-18 pumps for the job, designed for a duty flow of 772 litres per second and a duty head of 85 metres, and specified Siemens 860 kW motors.
“For SPP, some of the key challenges included the sheer size of the four large vertical turbine pumps required, and the need to make them fit precisely with the existing foundations and pipework in a limited working space,” said Martin Bagg, head of SPP’s Water Division.
“The installation also had to be carried out without halting the station’s operation. Crucially, we had to be sure to specify pumps capable of handling river water with a heavy sand content and delivering the necessary high performance, flexibility, energy efficiency and reliability where it really matters,” said Bagg.
The development project was carried out in co-operation with United Utilities’ AMP5 partner GallifordTry-Costain-Atkins joint venture.
