A delicate surgical procedure is underway at the border between Goias and Minas Gerais states in Brazil. The giant component weighing 410 tons was slowly lifted, and the 12 meter high track gate was disassembled and assembled in a cramped space - this is not the construction site of a new power station, but a site for renovating the units of a decades old hydroelectric power station.

The total installed capacity of the San Ximeng hydropower station is 1710 megawatts, and the electricity generated can cover about 6 million households in the local area, making it an indispensable backbone power source in Brazil's energy system. On September 14, 2026, a project consortium led by GE Vernova and participated by China Electric Power Construction announced the successful completion of the renovation of Unit 3, which is the third equipment among the six units in the entire station to complete the overall renovation.

The speed of 10:30 months

From shutdown dismantling to delivery, the renovation period of Unit 3 only took 10.3 months, which is not only shorter than the construction time of the first two units, but also lower than the 12-month control limit set by the Brazilian National Electricity Dispatch Center and the National Electricity Authority.

Behind the speed lies a highly challenging engineering organization. The dismantling of the equipment in the early stage of the renovation alone took about 3 months, and during the construction period, a single giant component weighing up to 410 tons had to be lifted, and the dismantling and installation of a 12 meter high rail gate had to be completed. The logistics and construction difficulties were both close to the limit.

From Analog to Digital

The most significant change in this round of renovation is to upgrade the analog control system that the power station has been using for many years to a fully digital control system. The power generation efficiency, equipment reliability, and safety level have been improved accordingly. After the renovation is completed, this old power station is expected to maintain stable and safe operation for another 30 years.

In terms of division of labor, GE Vernova is responsible for the complete engineering design, system integration, equipment installation, and commissioning of the power plant host system, covering water turbines, generators, and various auxiliary equipment; China Power Construction undertakes the supply of hydraulic machinery equipment, SDSC systems, and mechanical and electrical supporting BOP systems, and both parties cooperate to promote their implementation.

The Ten Year Long Run Chess Game

The entire renovation project has a planning cycle of ten years, with a total investment of over 1.2 billion Brazilian reals. It is divided into seven major sections, including not only the maintenance of the unit itself, but also the replacement of transformers and the renovation of the bridge crane in the factory building. It is expected to be completed by 2029.

With the delivery of Unit 3, the team has started preparing for the shutdown and renovation of Unit 1, which will be the fourth unit to enter the modernization renovation cycle. Adriana Valtrique, CEO of SPIC Brazil, the owner, stated that the experience accumulated from the previous units has enabled the implementation of a continuous improvement mechanism. The company has also formed a synergy with the expansion project of the newly built Unit 7. Although the two projects belong to different teams, they adopt similar processes and share resources, maintaining a high degree of collaboration.

SPIC Brazil is a subsidiary of State Power Investment Corporation, with business covering 47 countries, over 130000 employees, and a total installed capacity of 292GW. It is the world's largest solar power operator and the second largest wind power operator. The head of GE Vernova's Latin American hydropower department stated that Saint Simon is a core energy asset in Brazil, and the ability to complete such a difficult unit refurbishment in a short period of time fully validates the team's technical strength.keywords:New energy information network

Without building new dams, relying on equipment updates and digital transformation to continuously release the value of clean energy, the ten-year renovation of Saint Ximeng is writing a highly informative sample for the global stock of hydropower updates.Editor/Yang Meiling