Transdata in record rotor move

Specialized transport company Transdata in Brazil completed the transport of one of the largest rotors in the world for the new Belo Monte Hydropower Plant.

The rotor transported by Transdata is the first of four, all of the same size, due to be delivered to Belo Monte Hydropower Plant in Brazil. It is one of the largest rotors manufactured in the world and weighs 316 tonnes and measures almost 9 metres long and 5 m high. It was transported from Araraquara, São Paulo State to the Port of Santos. From the port, the rotor will be shipped to the Xingu River Basin to the Belo Monte Hydroelectric Project.

The cargo was transported across the state of São Paulo. The transport consisted of three 750 hp prime movers, two sets of 18 axle lines and a specially adapted girder bridge. The total transport was 108 m long and weighed 675 tonnes.

The transport project involved 60 professionals to synchronise movements along the Araraquara and Port of Santos route. Due to transport operation regulations, prior planning was carried out, including physical inspection of the route and engineering solutions to overcome challenges, including civil works, electrical adaptations and reinforcement of bridges.

The transport of the rotor began on 4 October 2015 and was completed on 5 November 2015. “It was a great job as we did the route in 30 days when the preview was 90,” a spokesperson from Transdata said.

The Belo Monte hydroelectric power plant is costing US$11.2 billion and is being built on the Xingu River in the Pará state of Brazil. The project began in March 2011 and is expected to take eight years to complete. It will be the fourth largest hydroelectric plant in the world with a generating capacity of 11,230 MW and will provide electricity for approximately 60 million people.

The main clients for the project are deugro Brasil ltda and Andritz Hydro and the main contractor is Consório ELM (a corsotium of Andritz Hydro Inepar and Alstom e Voith). The major sub-contractor for the Belo Monte is Norte Energia.