Valentin Castan-Roi, head of the Petit-Saut hydraulic center, summarizes the importance of this historic site: “You can tell me it’s old, and I tell you it’s very young in their life. Some dams in mainland France are well over one hundred or one hundred and thirty years old”.
Over the decades, the Petit-Saut dam has become a model for other EDF hydroelectric projects internationally, notably in Laos, Cameroon and Brazil.
Petit-Saut Dam, a strategic site requiring rigorous management
On the operational level, the plant's 28 agents work daily to maintain the infrastructure. Valentin Castan-Roi underlines the importance of regular checks: “Every fortnight, we go inside the dam to carry out very technical operations with more than 400 measuring points”.
These checks make it possible to control pressures, flow rates and possible water leaks. This rigor in monitoring ensures the safety of the dam, a key issue for EDF and for the local population.
Turbines, which play a central role in electricity production, are also subject to careful maintenance. “Every year, we dismantle certain parts to renovate them and guarantee good electricity quality. In an equatorial environment, with high humidity, the dam may require more maintenance than certain developments in mainland France.explains the director.
Preventing the impacts of drought with the dam
Faced with fluctuating climatic conditions, the Petit-Saut teams anticipate the challenges linked to drought and periods of low rainfall. At this time, the water level of the dam is monitored with great vigilance. “We are lowering the level of the dam to allow us to restock water for the next rainy season”specifies Valentin Castan-Roi, explaining that EDF uses thirty years of climate data to anticipate needs and adjust production. EDF also works in partnership with Météo France and the general technical division of EDF to monitor weather forecasts.
Celebrations for a collective memory
To mark this anniversary, educational visits were organized last week for schoolchildren and employees from other sectors of EDF Guyana. According to Valentin Castan-Roi, this opening to the public is a way of raising awareness of the issues surrounding the site while paying tribute to the pioneers of the project. “We have colleagues, veterans who were present here during the construction and they still have a lot of emotion to tell us today what they left us”.
The Petit-Saut dam, despite its 30 years, remains an essential infrastructure for the energy fabric of Guyana. Ongoing on-site efforts aim to continue to meet local requirements, aiming for a model of sustainability within a demanding natural environment.
Damien CHAILLOT
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