Hydroelectric Dams
Cofferdam Access on Conowingo Dam
The engineering plan to rehabilitate trash racks on the Conowingo Hydroelectric Generating Station incorporated one of the deepest asymmetrical cofferdams ever built or used in the United States. At 100 feet tall, the cofferdam required a custom suspension system to safely carry workers through the tube as they replaced sections of track set into the dam’s façade.
The platforms needed to conform to exact specifications within the cofferdam structure, providing ample space for workers and equipment. Other requirements included a guide system, lift mechanisms, and the ability to move the lift system between cofferdam installations. Beyond the basic scope of requirements for the equipment, Sky Climber delivered several system features that added value for the customer. The resulting system was safer, lighter, easier to install, and simple to use. Sky Climber systems provided safe access for workers for twenty hours a day throughout twenty weeks of construction.
Chickamauga Dam & Lock project
This hydro-power dam on the Tennessee River required heavy maintenance to replace large sections of the lock structure to removed and replace damaged concrete on its surface.
Sky Climber manufactured a dance floor-type stage that met the contractor’s space requirements that would allow crews to drill and bore into the concrete walls of the lock. This platform had to be movable, suspended over water, and had to accommodate a small work cage for the men to use to get down to the worksite from the top of the locks. The work cage was based on a 3-meter Sky Stage Ultra (SSU) platform with a walk-through stirrup.
Sky Climber also supplied Compact 1500 hoists and Rolling Roof Rigs with aluminum outrigger beams for the project.
More Dam solutions
Dams come in many shapes and sizes, and so do the maintenance projects that are necessary to keep these structures operating safely. Sky Climber’s standard Product Catalog is full of modular, interchangeable equipment that can make accessing dam structures easy and safe. And when a more custom solution is necessary, our Engineering staff can produce a design specific to your project needs.
Download our Product Catalog or Contact Us for more solutions to your next access project.
