Cegelec le Puy: turbines installed in drinking water systems
In addition to its more conventional building solutions activity, Cegelec Le Puy installs hydroelectric turbines in drinking water systems.
Drinking water networks are subject to health regulations requiring that only ACS (attestation conformité sanitaire – drinking water compliant) equipment be installed. As a result, turbines and pipes are made of 100% 316L stainless steel.
Cegelec uses a local supplier (the company Desgranges based in Tain l’Hermitage) to manufacture its hydroelectric turbines, which can be replaced with reversible pumps when water flow rate or pressure is low. Cegelec employs its own design and engineering expertise and the entire project, including automation, regulation and supervision, is implemented in-house.
Though such projects have a payback period of just a few years, few business units have the endurance and ability to make a compelling case for them to customers (primarily public authorities). The Roche Corbier hydroelectric plant is particularly impressive. The €807,000 project, which paid for itself within seven years, was installed on a drinking water pipe that supplies the city of St. Etienne.
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