EQUANS is renovating the locks and pumping stations at Havré, Hensies and Pommerœul, and in doing so is facilitating European river transport.
Cleaner and safer than road transport, river navigation is a sustainable method of transport which has numerous benefits. Ideal for transferring goods, it emits little CO2 and has proven to be an excellent alternative to meet environmental challenges. Indeed, but think about this! Since 1992, the Pommerœul-Condé canal, which connects Belgium to France along the Mons/Valenciennes axis, has been closed to navigation forcing barges to make a detour lasting half a day. To remedy this, a series of works are being completed on either side of the border. With years of experience in the water management field, EQUANS is responsible for the modernisation of the electromechanical equipment of the locks and pumping stations at Havré, Hensies and Pommerœul on behalf of the Wallonia Public Works Department.
Multi-technical expertise
This is a major project, as it involves overhauling three important Dorsale wallonne sites. It is also an example of the interaction between multi-technical skills. High voltage electrical installations, back-up batteries, mechanical and oleo-hydraulic systems, etc. For this contract with the SPW (Wallonia Public Works Department), EQUANS’ multi-discipline teams have been on the road for a number of months, in partnership with their partner, Ronveaux.
Directed design
The site works began in January 2020 and will continue into 2022. From design to connection, with the renovation of some parts in the workshop in between, each detail was reflected upon to modernise these installations, which are over 40 years old, to their best effect. During the design phase, for example, care was taken not only to stay within budget, but also to ensure the homogeneity of the systems, as well as the integrity of the systems and safety of the personnel (during and after installation).
Complete lifting of the locks
In fact, we are working both at the locks and at the pumping stations. Regarding the locks themselves, 16 new hydraulic units and several dozens of new cylinders are being installed. We are also responsible for installing all the high voltage switchgear, as well as the river signing and construction of the 16 cabins, housing the new equipment.
Pumping stations: what does this mean?
At the pumping stations (Havré and Pommerœul), the equipment itself is also being completely overhauled. Necessary for regulating the level of the locks, the pumping stations operate with pumps and large valves (approximately 1.5 m in diameter) which are capable of raising the volume of water from each downstream pond to the upstream pond. We are responsible for overhauling each pump in the workshop and installing the new equipment (high voltage motors, valve control mechanisms, including cylinders and hydraulic units).
Innovation and environmental considerations
Important detail: to reduce the overall energy consumption of the pumping stations, we are placing high voltage capacitor battery banks on the pump motor supply lines, which will reduce the reactive power necessary for each pump. Another innovation: during the mechanical design of the cylinders, we planned to install zero-maintenance ball joints requiring no lubrication. Finally, we are replacing the back-up energy means as generators (fuel) by UPS (batteries), which will reduce the CO2 footprint of the sites.
Improvement of the navigable channels
On completion, the renovation of the locks at Havré, Hensies and Pommerœul should help to reposition the Pommerœul-Condé canal on the navigation map, by accommodating the trans-European traffic which transits between the basins of the Seine and the Escaut. The project is also financed in part by the European Union. It is also an integral part of the Fast 2030 vision for the Wallonia Region, a plan aimed at encouraging a return to navigable waterways.