Editorial
Challenges are also opportunities
Dear Business Friends,
For nearly two decades our Hydro News customer magazine has brought you the latest updates on projects, key trends and interesting market topics. We are very proud to be celebrating the 20th anniversary of Hydro News in 2021 and we hope you will continue to enjoy many more decades of enriching and informative business news.
Wolfgang Semper, Harald Heber, Gerhard Kriegler
Since January 1, 2020, Gerhard Kriegler is a member of the board of ANDRITZ HYDRO GmbH, and is managing director of our German subsidiary in Ravensburg. Active for 20 years in the hydropower industry, Gerhard Kriegler is an accomplished management personality with international experience.
The global COVID-19 pandemic has had a strong impact on every individual and therefore also on all our business activities around the world. Despite these challenging times, ANDRITZ is proud to have maintained a strong connection with our esteemed customers and partners and with all our projects. Through our local teams in the countries, a new meeting culture of online video conferences, new digital tools for supporting commissioning remotely or with specialist remote on-site assessment, we are keeping projects running. Together with customers, local authorities and our travel specialists, we were able to organize special travel permits to bring our staff back on-site after local lockdowns and to finish projects and commissioning activities as promised and agreed.
Several large projects are actively under construction or have been awarded to ANDRITZ in 2020, such as the exciting developments of Carillon in Canada, Sobradinho in Brazil, Pinnapuram and Kiru in India, Bressanone in Italy and Barkley in the USA, Belo Monte in Brazil, Nedre Otta in Norway, Gulpur in Pakistan, and Kpong in Ghana are some highlights of projects that have been successfully completed.
A power sector dominated by renewable resources is fundamental for the global energy transition. However, this change is challenging transmission system operators to ensure a stable, reliable and secure network. Synchronous Condensers from ANDRITZ provide these stabilization capabilities and much more, as presented in this issue’s cover story.
For more than 180 years, ANDRITZ has been developing cutting-edge solutions for hydroelectric power generation. One of the pillars of our long-term success is a strong focus on research and development, where laboratories and test rigs sit at the heart of our R&D program. Supplementing our existing portfolio of R&D facilities by the end of 2021, ANDRITZ will inaugurate an exceptionally high-head test rig. With a head height of 250 meters, this outstanding piece of equipment will set a new benchmark for the global hydropower market.
Challenges are also opportunities, so despite the difficult times and the challenging market situation, ANDRITZ is confidently looking forward to the future. We place trust in our technical abilities, the depth of our experience, and our dedicated staff. We hope that the global hydropower industry will continue to place their trust in us, too.
With kind regards and sincere thanks for your reliance,
Wolfgang Semper Harald Heber Gerhard Kriegler
