Individual cable carrier with 120 metres travel length

Kabelschlepp France has implemented a robust and reliable cable carrier system for the safety valve at the hydroelectric power plant Châteauneuf du Rhône.

The purpose of the valve, which moves across the entire power plant, is to prevent overspeed of the turbines. In an emergency, a very heavy barrier is used to block the ingress of water.

The project with the hydroelectric power plant company CNR included the longest travel length that Kabelschlepp has ever implemented in France. On the other hand, it is also one of the largest projects ever carried out in France.

The Châteauneuf du Rhône hydroelectric power plant in the South of France was set to be equipped with a new cable carrier system in 2021 as part of various maintenance works. “It guides the power, communication and sensor cables to the valve,” explains Pascal Berg, industry manager for cranes and long travel at Kabelschlepp Metool.

For the movement of this valve across the enormous distance of 120 meters, the customer ordered a robust and reliable cable carrier system from Kabelschlepp Metool to replace the old conductor rails. The cable carrier can transport more cables of different types (telephone, sensor, etc) than the conductor rail. This system is also more reliable than the rail, as there is no risk of bad contacts. The extreme conditions at the site require a robust design of the cable carrier system; installed on the retaining dam, the cable carrier system is exposed to high winds, and optimum functioning has to be ensured even at temperatures below freezing in winter.

In September 2021, the team of French and German colleagues then started installing the system. In addition to the RSC MC0950 cable carrier, the solution includes all required cables, the guide channel, the floating TKFMD drivers including the driver arm as well as the substructure/wall brackets and the roof system. The international team completed the project very successfully – from on-time delivery to expert installation.