This may look like an immense cask of wine but it’s not. In fact, it’s another large piece of equipment, the turbine shaft for Mica dam’s new fifth generating unit, arrived via rail in December 2012 and is being stored at the Revelstoke CPR Railyard. The steel shaft is just over 7.5 metres in length and weighs 80 tonnes. The shaft was manufactured in Ravensburg, Germany by Andritz Hydro. Once installed the shaft will connect the magnetized rotor to the turbine. Waterpower will spin the turbine and rotor at speeds of 133 revolutions per minute within the generating unit to produce electricity. The turbine shaft (and remaining Mica transformer also in the railyard) will be transported to Mica dam by truck when weather and road conditions are suitable. On site work at Mica dam over the winter have focused on putting the pieces into place to prepare for the arrival of the new turbine for the fifth generating unit expected to arrive this summer 2013. The target in-service date for the fifth generating unit is 2014. Jennifer Walker-Larsen photo courtesy of BC Hydro
