CALCAGNA hydropower plant: the first kw has been delivered to electrical power grid

February 11th, 2021: the new Calcagna hydroelectric plant on the Mella river has become operational. FROSIO NEXT followed all the design phases (from the revision of the original project to the construction design), and construction phases (Works Supervision, Safety and Commissioning).

Calcagna hydropower plant belongs to the category of mini hydropower plants included in schemes for the multiple use of the water resource. In fact, it was built on an existing weir on the Mella river built decades ago in order to feed the Calcagna irrigation canal which gives its name to the plant.

The intake was built at an existing weir on the Mella river built for irrigation purposes, allowing multiple uses of the water resource. Irrigation and hydropower share the weir on the Mella river, reducing the global impact of the works. On-flow hydropower plants on existing weirs pose several hydraulic and construction issues that FROSIO NEXT has been able to face with a careful design of all components from the early stages of the initiative, in order to ensure optimal use of the water resource and the environmental compatibility of the works, which has led to a significant improvement of the river ecosystem thanks to the construction of the fish ladders. This has allowed the restoration of the river continuity interrupted decades ago due to the construction of the weir for irrigation purposes.

FROSIO NEXT has deployed its forty-year experience to obtain the best result in such a restricted area, that is the construction of a mini hydropower plant which will guarantee a renewable energy production of 690,000 kWh per year, equal to the consumption of 230 families.