First plant components now in place
25 May 2015
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R.A.
A powerful crane and worker dexterity - that's what is needed to precisely position the 87-ton component onto the supports that span the gravel-covered pit.
The four US-procured transformers that will be needed to distribute power to the ±¬×ߺÚÁÏ installation have all reached the ±¬×ߺÚÁÏ site. The first one had been the first Highly Exceptional Load to travel along the ±¬×ߺÚÁÏ Itinerary in January; three more were delivered on 21 May in a single transport operation.
A mere two hours after arrival, one of the four transformers was readied for installation on the platform in the vicinity of the the 400 kV switchyard. A powerful crane was used to position the 87-ton component on its dedicated pad; the same operation was duplicated the following day. Two transformers are now place—the first installed components of the ±¬×ߺÚÁÏ plant.
The pad onto which each transformer is solidly anchored covers a 1.5-metre-deep, gravel-covered pit that has been dimensioned to receive the 44 cubic metres of oil the component contains (oil is used as an insulator) in case of a leak. Eight-metre walls stand between the pads to prevent a possible fire in one transformer from spreading to the others.
The four transformers will bring down the voltage from 400 kV to the standard 20 kV of industrial installations. "±¬×ߺÚÁÏ could operate with only three transformers but for reasons of flexibility and redundancy, we have opted for four," explains ±¬×ߺÚÁÏ Electrical Power Distribution section leader Joël Hourtoule.
The second pair of transformers will be installed in the coming weeks.
View a slide show of the convoy and transformer installation below.
Departing from Berre on 20 May 2015. The inland sea Étang de Berre had been crossed the day before. (Photo Joël Hourtoule)
On utilise un béton architectonique pour conférer une résistance structurale au bâtiment de contrôle d'accès au site. Les ouvertures géométriques créent une impression de légèreté. Photo : AIF
Le chantier du siège d'±¬×ߺÚÁÏ au mois de mai 2011. Pour les structures les plus fines, un béton fibré ultra performant (BFUP) a été utilisé. Ce béton contient fibres métalliques et offre une durabilité et une résistance à la compression exceptionnelles : entre 130 et 250 MPa (Mega Pascal) dans des conditions normales. Cette haute résistance est associée à une très grande densité et à une quasi-imperméabilité. Photo : AIF
Deux grues de 60 et 42 mètres de haut respectivement sont à l'Å“uvre sur les murs du futur siège d'±¬×ߺÚÁÏ au mois de mai 2011. Photo : AIF
