On the Paran á River at the border of Goias and Minas Gerais states in Brazil, an energy landmark that has been in service for nearly half a century is reaching a critical moment. Recently, the Itumbiara hydropower station operated by AXIA Energia officially launched the modernization project of its automation system. As the second largest hydroelectric power station in Brazil, this 46 year old veteran will inject new momentum into Brazil's energy transformation through comprehensive digital surgery.

46 years of perseverance and midlife crisis

The Itumbiara hydropower station was officially put into operation in 1980, which is a milestone in the history of hydropower development in Brazil. The dam of the power station is 106 meters high, with a reservoir capacity of 17 billion cubic meters, equipped with 6 generator sets, and a total installed capacity of 2082 megawatts. In the past 46 years, it has not only been a clean base load power source for the Brazilian power grid, but also an important downstream regulating reservoir for one of the largest hydroelectric projects in South America - the Itaipu hydroelectric power station.

However, time does not spare anyone. With the increasing demand for electricity in Brazil and the complexity of the power grid structure, the original analog control system has become exhausted. According to the operator AXIA Energia, the old system not only faces the problem of spare parts shortage, but also struggles to cope with the frequency regulation pressure brought by the integration of fluctuating new energy sources such as wind and solar power. Data shows that hydropower accounts for over 60% of Brazil's national electricity generation, and the stable operation of Itumbiara is directly related to the power security of economic centers such as S ã o Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.

Andritz performs heart transplant surgery

This renovation project is undertaken by the global hydropower giant Andritz Group in Austria, and can be considered a thorough heart transplant. The core of the transformation lies in replacing the protection, control, and monitoring systems of the entire plant, and deploying an advanced HIPASE plant wide automation platform.

On a technical level, Andritz will install the latest generator excitation system, turbine governor, and digital relay protection device for the power station. It is worth noting that the project has particularly strengthened the network security protection system to resist increasingly complex network attack risks. The head of Andritz Hydroelectric Business said, "This is not only an equipment update, but also a reconstruction of control logic. The new system will achieve millisecond level precision adjustment, greatly improving the efficiency of water energy utilization

Building a solid ballast stone for the consumption of new energy

The underlying logic of this renovation lies in Brazil's energy strategy transformation. According to the Brazilian government's plan, approximately 50 gigawatts of wind and solar energy installations will be added by 2030. As a regulating reservoir with a huge storage capacity, the upgraded Itumbiara will transform into a giant battery: reducing power generation and water storage when there is sufficient sunlight, and opening the gate to release water on windless nights. Keywords: international news, hydropower stations, new energy

After the renovation is completed, the comprehensive efficiency of the power station is expected to increase by more than 15%, and its service life can be extended by at least 30 years.Editor/Cheng Liting