Swiss Partners
GFA entec, St. Gallen,
www.gfa-entec.com,
Thomas Meier
Project Type:
Technology:
Country:
Project Status:
Project Start:
End of Project:
Contract:
Documentation
Swiss Contribution
GFA Entec AG is a consulting company specialized in renewable energy development and rural electrification projects in developing and emerging countries. The project will be implemented by GFA Entec and its local Partner Hydrolink.
Description
The project aims to improve the reliability and sustainability of power production from MHPs through the introduction of locally available systematic training and Operation and Maintenance (O&M) services.
This project will set up a MHP Resource and Service Center in Chitral (MRSC) consisting of a workshop for major repair works of MHP equipment. It hosts training facilities for regular operator trainings and will maintain a MHP service infrastructure. Trained services technicians will be placed at 6 to 8 remote service points to provide preventive maintenance and basic repair services. MRSC will manage a stock of key spare parts to reduce downtimes. MRSC will be equipped with a mobile service unit to be called in from remote service points.
Results
Based on the 50 small hydropower plants current condition‘s technical study (for functionality, efficiency, etc.) from Project Phase 1, a business plan was drawn up for the Micro Hydro Power Resource & Services Center (MRSC), which was opened in 2017. Furthermore, a training manual for the operation and maintenance of small hydropower plants was completed. In order to promote the services offered, six workshops were held with a total of 120 participants. However, following receipt of an order for the realization of a larger number of small hydropower plants, the local partner withdrew from the project.
Impacts
The former project partner uses Swiss know-how and the documents prepared for the construction and operation of new power plants. The Swiss project management is working with a new partner in Pakistan to implement the concept, in a second endeavor.
Due in part to various contacts within the project’s framework, an application was submitted to the GIZ for the rehabilitation of 100 small hydropower plants in Afghanistan.