Many existing hydropower projects located on the Ariege river in southern France are undergoing retrofitting to improve their ecological functioning and operational performance. The schemes are gradually being upgraded with modern fish ladders for upstream migration, downstream migration rakes and bypass systems, efficient turbines and the latest electronics. In this context, the Grepiac powerplant had recently been modernized and adapted with state of the art fishways, and equipped with two new, 560 kW DIVE-Turbines.The Grepiac powerplant is located on the Ariege river about 45 minutes south of Toulouse. The project had been connected to the grid since 1960 with a Kaplan turbine and was upgraded in 1980 with an additional Francis unit as part of a modernization programme at that time. Since the expected nominal output was no longer provided, in 2016 the operator decided to refurbish the powerplant completely. The existing turbine chambers were dismantled or closed, and two new turbine chambers were installed on the bank side. Measures undertaken for ecological improvement of the powerplant included the construction of a fish pass, a fine rake in front of the turbine chambers and the reactivation of an existing kayak lock on the opposite bank.
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