Sophisticated modernization
New control system for the Ryburg-Schwörstadt hydropower plant
In October 2022, Rittmeyer was awarded the contract for the renewal of the entire control system at the Ryburg-Schwörstadt hydropower plant. The project has a duration of five years and will be completed by 2027.
With a capacity of 120 MW, the Ryburg-Schwörstadt hydropower plant is the most powerful hydropower plant on the High Rhine and is located about 20 km upstream from Basel. The entire control technology is being renewed. Among other systems, it includes a complex automatic water management system with the main task of ensuring a constant water level at all times. It also controls the power redistribution between the two Swiss and two German machine groups. The system includes complex weir controls for the four weir fields as well as an emergency controller.
The modernization of the control system and the automation of the four machine groups will be carried out in phases and during the operation of the other three machine groups. The challenge here is to control the large water flow of the river Rhine. In the event of a trip of one or more machine groups, the water of the tripped machine groups must be redirected to the weirs in the shortest possible time. This requires highly available and very fast-acting systems to avoid excessive level increases in front of the power plant. Rittmeyer's extensive and proven experience in the renewal of safety-relevant processes of large river power plants was one of the decisive criteria for winning the contract. In the same project, the whole control system for the redundant electricity production for the power plant’s own use and the station control technology for a total of eight switchgear panels will be replaced and integrated into the new higher-level control system.
State-of-the-art technology for the run-of-river power plant
With the RITOP control system with remote alarming, RITAS alarm server as well as the RIFLEX process stations, the Ryburg-Schwörstadt hydropower plant receives a cutting-edge system solution from Rittmeyer in line with the latest safety standards. After the renovation, the run-of-river power plant will again be state of the art and can be operated reliably and safely for another 15 to 20 years.
In addition to the entire Rittmeyer AG project team, Beat Karrer, CEO of Kraftwerk Ryburg-Schwörstadt AG, is also looking forward to the extensive project: «We have come to know Rittmeyer as an efficient, solution-oriented, and pleasant partner who brings the necessary expert knowledge and has the right solutions and products for this sophisticated modernization. I look forward to working together on the renewal of our hydropower plant's control system.»
