Meije replaces a hydroelectric plant's overhead crane

Meije — a builder of overhead and gantry cranes, an installer of handling gear, and part of Verlinde's EUROPONT and after-sales network — won the tender to renew a travelling crane at the Mauzac hydroelectric plant in Dordogne. The plant currently generates enough electricity for around 15,000 homes. Dating from 1924, when the plant itself was built, the old crane had grown obsolete and was pulled from service in 2019.

Drawing on more than 70 years of experience and a team of 25 professionals across workshop and field, Meije's reach spans a wide stretch of southern France for industrial lifting and handling operations, along with the maintenance of electric motors. A dedicated unit builds overhead cranes, backed by advisory support from the design department. Meije works with the most demanding industrial companies, not least those in aerospace and shipbuilding.

Meije carries out on-site work including diagnosis, predictive maintenance, asynchronous motor and generator maintenance, laser alignment, dynamic balancing and vibration analysis of equipment. MASE certification guarantees safety, one of the company's main operational priorities. Meije has partnered with Verlinde and belonged to the EUROPONT network for twenty years.

An industrial site over a hundred years old

For 40 years, Meije has handled the installation, repair and maintenance of lifting equipment at the Mauzac hydroelectric plant. The plant was inaugurated in 1924, and several pieces of equipment still in use date from that period — including the overhead crane used for machine maintenance. Built to early 20th century design standards, the overhead crane ran at a single lifting speed and had no load limiter. Too old and obsolete, it no longer met current safety standards, and it also had design flaws, brushing against the plant wall when moving. Its use was therefore suspended in 2019. As a temporary replacement, a mobile crane or jib crane was occasionally used. This lifting process was costly and incomplete, lacking the power needed to lift certain alternator parts.

Given how cramped the site was and the likely trouble positioning equipment, the hydroelectric plant put out a call for bids, originally just for a retrofit of the overhead crane.

A made-to-measure overhead crane

Taking structural and design flaws into account, Meije proposed a complete replacement rather than a refurbishment, for a comparable budget. With similar experience on another EDF site, Meije was able to resolve the installation difficulties, and its solution was adopted.

A custom-designed overhead crane with an MWL of 63 tonnes, a span of 14.5m and a height of 12m was built. The crane is fitted with VERLINDE EUROBLOC VT5 hoists, with two speeds in all directions, a load limiter and radio control.
Several options were added at the customer's request: LED lighting for the work area and load readout. An additional 3.2 tonne auxiliary hook on a VERLINDE EUROBLOC VT2 maintenance hoist replaces the main hook for small manoeuvres.

Meije took charge of the installation, which meant fitting the crane outside the building and cutting an opening in the roof. The modern, compact design of the new overhead crane fits perfectly into the buildings without touching the walls.

Mauzac's replacement overhead crane went in during spring 2021, with Meije needing a mere 6 months to take it from design through manufacture to commissioning. The plant can once again run smoothly, backed by a crane that is practical, functional and up to code — and full turbine maintenance is possible again.