GE Renewable Energy has successfully completed the Lower Kaleköy hydropower plant at the Lower Kaleköy dam in Turkey. Now that the last of three units has been connected to the grid, the plant has gone into full commercial operation.
As the leader in a consortium, GE Hydro Solutions has provided a total of three 155 MW Vertical Francis turbines, including the control system, the balance of plant and the switchyard for the hydroelectrical powerplant. With its 500 MW installed capacity, Lower Kaleköy will be the sixth largest hydropower plant by installed capacity in Turkey that has been developed by the private sector. Thanks to the new plant, approximately 1 million people will be supplied with clean energy.
GE Hydro Solutions built the turbines at its manufacturing facility in Taubate, Brazil. The first unit was completed in May 2020. Units two and three followed in November and December 2020, allowing Kalehan Energy to bring the power plant into commercial operation.
Located on the Murat River, Lower Kaleköy is the third project executed by GE Renewable Energy in the same region on behalf of the Kalehan Energy Group. Before that, GE Hydro Solutions completed the Beyhan-1 and Upper Kaleköy hydropower plants.
Turkey is a rich country in terms of hydroelectric sources. Although the current level of installed hydropower capacity is positive, with over 28.8 GW overall – 8 GW from river plants, and 20.8 reservoir dams – there is still an additional economical potential of up to 50 GW. The country has seen a 6% annual average growth rate in energy demand over the past 15 years.
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