Hydropower Solutions — EPC, Microgrid, Retrofit & O&M

Q: What is your typical project delivery cycle?

For a typical small-to-medium hydropower project (100kW–10MW), the delivery cycle is 8–14 months: feasibility study (1–2 months), design & manufacturing (4–6 months), installation & commissioning (2–4 months). Larger EPC projects may take 12–24 months depending on site conditions and logistics.

Q: Do you provide on-site installation and commissioning?

Yes. Our EPC service includes on-site installation, testing, and commissioning by experienced Chinese engineers, supported by HIER's local team. For equipment-supply-only projects, we can also send engineers for supervised installation upon request.

Q: What are the payment terms for EPC projects?

Standard payment terms: 30% advance with PO, 40% against shipping documents, 20% on arrival/installation, 10% after commissioning acceptance. We also support letter of credit (L/C) and are flexible to discuss milestone-based structures aligned with your project financing.

Q: Can you retrofit old hydropower plants?

Absolutely. We specialize in retrofitting and modernizing existing plants — replacing aging turbines, upgrading excitation/SCADA systems, installing new switchgear, and improving overall efficiency. Our team can assess your plant and recommend the most cost-effective upgrade path.

Q: Do you provide microgrid solutions for mines?

Yes. We design and build solar + storage + diesel hybrid microgrids for mines, islands, and off-grid communities. These systems can integrate with existing hydro or diesel generation, reducing fuel costs by 30–60% while ensuring 24/7 power reliability for critical operations.

Q: How to start a project assessment?

Simply fill out our Project Assessment Form on the Contact page, or message us on WhatsApp (+86 15874842996). Provide your site location, available head and flow data, and project goals. Our engineers will respond within 48 hours with a preliminary assessment and recommended turbine type.

01 EPC Turnkey

VIDEO

Generator stator assembly line — multiple units in parallel at TC factory

100 kW – 100 MW

01 EPC Turnkey Hydropower

Greenfield Hydropower — From Feasibility to Commissioning

A single-contract solution for new hydropower plants. We handle everything from site survey and hydrological analysis to turbine manufacturing, civil construction, electrical system integration, grid connection, and performance testing. One contract, one accountable party, zero finger-pointing.

Feasibility & Design — Hydrological survey, geological assessment, plant sizing, tender drawings
Equipment Manufacturing — Turbine, generator, governor, excitation, valves — all in-house
Civil Works — Intake, penstock, powerhouse, tailrace — supervised by HIER site engineers
Electrical Integration — Switchgear, transformer, SCADA, protection, grid synchronization
Commissioning & Handover — Load testing, 72-hour trial run, as-built documentation, operator training

Capacity Range 100 kW – 100 MW

Typical Duration 14 – 36 months

Warranty 24 months

02 Microgrid

Microgrid composition: combined heat and power, renewable energy, energy storage, homes and facilities, microgrid controller, generator and utility grid

Off-Grid / Hybrid

02 Microgrid & Hybrid Energy

Solar-Hydro-Diesel Hybrid for Rural Electrification

For remote communities and industrial sites beyond the grid, we design and build hybrid microgrids that combine hydropower with solar PV and diesel backup. Our SCADA platform orchestrates multiple sources in real time, optimizing for cost, reliability, and minimal environmental impact.

Hybrid System Design — Load profiling, source mix optimization, battery sizing, simulation modeling
Smart SCADA Platform — TCH-SCADA 3000 with real-time dispatch, remote monitoring, automated failover
Solar PV Integration — Panel procurement, inverter selection, mounting structures, grid-tie or off-grid
Diesel Backup — Standby gensets, automatic transfer switches, fuel optimization algorithms
Distribution Network — Mini-grid lines, transformers, smart meters, customer billing system

System Size 50 kW – 10 MW

Typical Duration 6 – 18 months

Households Served 100 – 10,000+

03 Retrofit

Turbine runner replacement during plant retrofit

Upgrade & Modernize

03 Plant Retrofit & Modernization

Breathe New Life into Aging Hydropower Assets

Many African hydropower plants built in the 1970s–1990s still have sound civil structures but suffer from worn turbines, obsolete controls, and unreliable switchgear. We assess, upgrade, and modernize — extending plant life by 30+ years and boosting efficiency by 5–15%.

Condition Assessment — On-site inspection, runner wear analysis, efficiency audit, remaining-life study
Turbine Replacement — New runner design (Pelton, Francis, Kaplan), reverse-engineered to match existing civil works
Generator & Excitation Upgrade — Rewinding, new AVR, brushless excitation conversion
Control & Protection Modernization — SCADA retrofit, digital protection relays, new switchgear panels
Performance Optimization — CFD runner redesign, efficiency improvement, capacity uprating where feasible
Fixed-to-Pitch Conversion — Convert fixed-blade Kaplan/bulb runners to adjustable pitch with oil-free blade pitch control; +5–15% annual yield, zero oil-leakage risk, 30-day installation

Efficiency Gain +5% to +15%

Typical Duration 4 – 12 months

Life Extension 30+ years

Retrofit Technology Spotlight — Oil-Free Blade Pitch Control

Our signature retrofit package for Kaplan and bulb turbines replaces the oil-fed blade pitch system with a sealed electro-hydraulic actuator — technology proven in 100+ units across China and Southeast Asia, now part of the TC × HIER supply chain.

External oil pipes of a traditional oil-fed blade pitch system

Step 1 · Problem

Oil-Fed Pitch Systems Leak

Traditional receivers press oil through the rotating shaft into the runner hub. Seals wear, oil enters the river, and stations face environmental risk plus costly outages.

TCH-OFBP oil-free blade pitch control system cross-section

Step 2 · Solution

TCH-OFBP Oil-Free Actuator

A top-mounted integrated actuator drives the blades through mechanical push-pull rods. 100 t adjustment force, 16 MPa sealed circuit — zero oil in the waterway.

Modernized turbine control and monitoring

Step 3 · Result

Digital Control, 15-Year Cycle

TCH-BPC 2000 touchscreen controller with remote diagnostics. Maintenance interval extended to 15 years; annual yield up 5–15% after fixed-to-pitch conversion.

100+Retrofit References

+5–15%Annual Energy Yield

−80%Maintenance Workload

30 daysTypical On-site Install

04 O&M

VIDEO

Vertical turbine-generator unit pre-dispatch test — TC test bay

Long-Term Partnership

04 O&M Services

Keep Your Plant Running at Peak Performance

A hydropower plant is a 50-year asset. Our O&M packages ensure it performs at design efficiency throughout its life. From routine inspections to emergency response, spare parts management to capacity building — we stay with you long after commissioning.

Preventive Maintenance — Scheduled inspections, vibration analysis, oil testing, runner condition monitoring
Spare Parts Supply — OEM- guaranteed inventory of wear parts, runners, bearings, seals — shipped from China
Emergency Response — 24/7 remote diagnostics via SCADA, on-site dispatch within 48 hours (Madagascar)
Operator Training — Factory-acceptance training in China, on-site commissioning training, refresher courses
Performance Reporting — Monthly generation reports, efficiency trending, predictive maintenance alerts

Contract Types 1 / 3 / 5 years

Response Time < 48 hours

Uptime Guarantee 98%+

How We Deliver

Six-Stage Delivery Process

From the first site visit to year-30 maintenance — one continuous chain of accountability.

Feasibility

Site survey, hydrology, grid study, cost estimate

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Design

Turbine selection, civil drawings, electrical layout, BOQ

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Manufacturing

Turbine, generator, switchgear — in-house production

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Logistics & Civil

Shipping, customs, site preparation, civil construction

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Install & Commission

Erection, testing, 72-hour trial, grid connection

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O&M

Training, spares, monitoring, lifetime support

What's Included

Solution Capability Matrix

Compare what each solution package delivers. All packages include HIER local engineering support and TC factory warranty.

Service Component	EPC Turnkey	Microgrid	Retrofit	O&M
Feasibility Study	✓	✓	✓	–
Turbine Manufacturing	✓	✓	✓	–
Civil Construction	✓	✓	–	–
Electrical System	✓	✓	✓	–
SCADA System	✓	✓	✓	✓
Solar PV Integration	–	✓	–	–
Commissioning	✓	✓	✓	–
Operator Training	✓	✓	✓	✓
Spare Parts Supply	–	–	–	✓
Remote Monitoring	–	–	–	✓
Emergency Response	–	–	–	✓

EPC Project Timeline

Typical 20 MW Project — 24 Months

Indicative timeline for a medium-sized EPC project. Actual duration depends on site conditions, permitting, and financing.

Phase 1 Months 1–3

Feasibility Study & Site Assessment

Hydrological data collection, geological survey, environmental impact assessment, grid connection study, preliminary cost estimate.

Feasibility Report Cost Estimate Site Layout

Phase 2 Months 3–6

Detailed Engineering & Design

Turbine type selection and sizing, civil structure design, electrical single-line diagrams, control system architecture, BOQ preparation.

Design Drawings Technical Spec BOQ

Phase 3 Months 6–14

Equipment Manufacturing

Turbine runner casting and machining, generator winding, switchgear assembly, control panel fabrication. Factory acceptance test (FAT) with client witness.

Turbine Set Generator Switchgear FAT Certificate

Phase 4 Months 8–16

Civil Works & Site Preparation

Access road construction, river diversion, intake excavation, penstock installation, powerhouse construction, tailrace works. Overlaps with manufacturing.

Civil Structure Penstock Powerhouse

Phase 5 Months 14–20

Equipment Installation

Turbine and generator erection, piping and valve installation, switchgear placement, cabling, SCADA commissioning. HIER engineers on-site throughout.

Mechanical Install Electrical Install SCADA Setup

Phase 6 Months 20–24

Testing, Commissioning & Handover

Dry test, wet test, load test, 72-hour continuous trial run, grid synchronization, performance verification, operator training, as-built documentation handover.

Commissioning Report Performance Cert Training Completion As-Built Docs

Why TC × HIER

Three Advantages No Single-Geography Supplier Can Match

Factory-Direct Pricing

No middlemen. Turbines, generators, and switchgear ship directly from our Changsha factory to your site. You pay for equipment, not for layers of trading companies.

Local Execution, Local Knowledge

HIER's team in Antananarivo handles permits, site supervision, customs, and community relations. We speak the language, know the regulations, and have been operating in Madagascar since 2008.

Single-Source Accountability

One contract covers turbine, generator, electrical, civil, and commissioning. If something goes wrong, there is no finger-pointing between suppliers. We own the outcome — start to finish.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Quick answers to the most common questions from our clients across Africa.

What is your typical project delivery cycle?+