Hydropower and dams

Hydropower is a clean, renewable resource and has been Canada's main source of electricity for over 100 years. Hydropower creates less dependency on fossil fuels and can alternate with other forms of renewable energy.

 

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A strong team with cutting-edge expertise

CIMA+ helps owners and developers analyze the technical and economic feasibility of a project, for a new or an upgrade to a hydropower plant.

Over the years, CIMA+ has worked on more than 200 hydropower plants in Canada and overseas, ranging in size from 100 kW to over 1000 MW. Whether for new facilities or the renovation, refurbishment or expansion of existing infrastructure assets, our technical team can provide solutions tailored to the needs of the client within the hydropower industry.

Our skills in civil, hydraulics, geotechnical, mechanical, and electrical engineering, combined with understanding the specific requirements of local public utilities and private developers and owners, enables our specialists to develop and offer solutions that are tailored to each client’s actual needs.

Our expertise: facts and figures

CIMA+’s achievements span more than 30 years and speak for themselves.

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dedicated engineers and technicians
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projects completed
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18M$ in fees per year
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winner of the 2019 Ontario Waterpower Association (OWA) Stewardship Award

Our specialized services

Our team of engineers and technicians possess the expertise and experience to design all types of hydraulic structures (concrete spillways and dams, dikes, weirs, etc.)

Our skills in hydro-technical, geotechnical, heavy mechanical, environmental/regulatory approvals, and structural engineering combined with our understanding of the specific needs of owners and operators of all types enable CIMA+ to recommend solutions that are tailored to the needs of each client.

 

Dam condition and safety assessments

We have completed numerous dam safety and hydraulic structure assessments thanks to our understanding and experience of the various provincial laws and regulations. This knowledge facilitates obtaining the necessary government authorizations for construction, rehabilitation, or upgrade to comply to current standards for dams and hydroelectric structures.

  • Dam safety review.
  • Inspection and condition assessment.
  • Stability and dam break analysis.
  • Evaluation of public safety in the vicinity of dams.
  • Structural compliance based on the Operation Maintenance and Surveillance (OMS) manual, and Emergency Preparedness Plan (EPP).
Hydraulic turbine and generator
  • Consultation and engineering services pertaining to the design, manufacturing, purchasing and installation of turbine and generator components associated with the construction of new powerhouses or the rehabilitation and modernization of existing units.
  • Strategic planning of rehabilitation and maintenance works for hydraulic turbines and generators.
  • Review and writing of technical specifications for the purchasing of new units and the rehabilitation of existing units.
  • Pre-feasibility and feasibility studies for the maintenance, rehabilitation and modernization of units, including on-site technical audits, analysis of client needs, writing of analysis reports, preparation of bills of materials, etc.
  • Coordination of interfaces between the turbine-generator units and the ongoing civil, mechanical and electrical works within the powerhouse.
  • Verification of the conformity of the units in relation to the requirements of the technical specification and the documentation produced by the manufacturer, such as drawings, calculation notes, inspection and test plans (ITP), purchasing specifications, manufacturing procedures, assembly procedures, testing procedures, etc.
  • Technical writing for analysis reports, inspection reports, technical modification requests, nonconformity reports, etc.
  • Follow-up of manufacturing at the workshop, and follow-up of on-site unit assembly, from the design office or construction site.
  • Selection, optimization and hydraulic sizing of turbines based on reference curves and reference hydraulic model tests as well as in-house statistical calculation tools.
  • Participation, follow-up and coordination of model testing for validation of unit performance.
  • Execution of feasibility studies for the modernization of hydraulic passages or runner profiles, on site technical audits, analysis of clients needs, preparation of technical questionnaires for unit manufacturers to diagnose and resolve all types of problems and anomalies.
  • Optimization calculation of energy production based on historical hydrology data from the site.
  • Execution of detailed engineering, such as drawings and specifications for the construction, modernization and addition of instrumentation to the units, for the replacement of air, oil and water piping systems, and for the rehabilitation of most turbine components.
  • Start-up, commissioning and operation

Discover our hydropower and dams projects

CIMA+’s achievements span more than 30 years and speak for themselves.

Our statement

Thanks to the size of our teams, the organization of our work and the diversity of our expertise, we can fully meet the multidisciplinary needs of our clients. Our flexibility to adjust our processes and ways of doing things to the needs of the project is what sets us apart. The value of engineering lies in the optimization of projects, the reduction of costs and schedules and finally, the development of a product that will perform according to or exceeding expectations."

 

Mathieu Lemay,
Senior Director

Awards & recognition

Our constant quest for excellence and innovation has been rewarded several times.

A multidisciplinary approach for turn-key solutions

We pride ourselves on the fact that our clients come to CIMA+ for turnkey solutions and professional and technical guidance. Our specialists in civil / structural, gate, turbine, control and protection, and electromechanical engineering, may be called to contribute to the construction or rehabilitation of hydroelectric facilities, as well as the upgrade of equipment. Our multidisciplinary approach allows our teams of engineers and specialists to apply their expertise according to the specificities of each project.

Contact our team!

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