| Asia


Johnny Dao, Managing Director, Delta Marine & Industries.


One such upgrade, and a significant milestone for


Thordon, was the successful retrofit carried out at the So'n La Hydroelectric power plant in the country’s Muong La district. With a total installed capacity of 2400MW from six turbines, it is Asia’s largest hydropower plant.


Delta Marine & Industries worked with end user Vietnam Electricity (EVN) to choose suitable replacements for the original metal polymer lined bearings, which had delaminated, with severe wear to the bushing surface. The solution involved using Thordon’s SXL and Thorseal materials for the lower and upper gate seals, and SXL for the operating ring wear pads. Thorseals were used in place of the existing rubber seals and ThorPlas-Blue for the intermediate bearing. Following this project, Delta Marine & Industries


secured orders to replace the original brass and rubber upper and lower seals and wicket gate seals with the SXL and Thorseal material at two 90MW turbines operating at EVN’s Đ`ông Nai hydropower plant. The replacement of the first unit was completed in July 2022 with the second following a year later. Thordon’s expansion across Asia has been bolstered by its partnerships with some of the biggest names in the hydropower sector. Thordon has forged solid relationships with global turbine manufacturers like Andritz, Voith, GE, and B Fouress, securing lucrative contracts to supply critical components for projects across the continent. “We’re developing partner supplier relationships with OEMs because the power utilities are asking for water-lubricated bearings and our advanced shaft seal technology,” says Swanson. “Adopting our technology


at the turbine manufacturing stage is really setting us apart from the competition.” Thordon recently supplied six axial seal assemblies, with spares, to the Government-owned Punatsangchhu Hydro through BHEL in Bhutan, a testament to the company’s growing footprint in the region. “We are very excited to be contributing to the country’s burgeoning hydropower market. Bhutan is a unique market, with its own set of challenges and opportunities,” Swanson explains. Malaysia shows potential too, with the country investing in both hydropower and thermal power. Thordon recently appointed Singapore-based NewShore Solutions as its authorized distributor in Malaysia to tap into its extensive local knowledge and engineering expertise. “We are certainly looking forward to working more closely with NewShore Solutions in the near future to develop Malaysia” Swanson says. While Thordon has experienced rapid growth


across all of its industrial sectors, the company’s success in Asia’s hydropower market in particular is one of the driving forces behind the decision to expand its infrastructure. This has recently included the appointment of new distributors, the hiring of new personnel, and the acquisition of a new production facility across the street from its existing plant in Burlington, Ontario, Canada. “All of our different markets have grown at the same


rate,” says Swanson. “It’s not just the hydro sector. Our pump and various marine industry segments have also seen significant growth over recent years. This new facility embodies our commitment to meeting customer requirements, in line with the growing demand for clean energy solutions, globally.”


Thordon’s involvement in New Zealand’s hydropower sector


Although India and other parts of Asia have been the primary focus of Thordon’s recent growth, New Zealand’s hydropower sector has remained steady with orders for Thordon’s wicket gate bearings and shaft seals. Many of New Zealand’s existing hydropower plants use oil-lubricated turbine guide bearings but there is increasing interest in cleaner more efficient bearing and sealing solutions, says Axel Swanson, Thordon’s Business Development Manager - Hydro, Pump & Industrial. “To meet increasing energy demand,


there is a strong need to modernize and upgrade aging infrastructure with new, more environmentally efficient, reliable technology, our Auckland based distributor Henley Group is well positioned to capitalize on these new opportunities.” Across both of New Zealand’s main islands,


there are a total of 93 hydro power stations, overseen by five main energy providers: Mercury Energy, Meridian Energy, Genesis Energy, Contact Energy, and Manawa Energy. Additionally, several independent providers operate smaller stations.


Henley Group’s Jacob Power says New Zealand’s hydropower market has enormous potential for growth, with several new stations proposed that have received consent or are in the application process. “There is definitely a notable uptick in orders


for Thordon products, primarily driven by the increasing demand for environmentally friendly solutions. Customers are increasingly drawn to Thordon due to its excellent track record in New Zealand spanning over two decades. The assurance of a 15-year wear life guarantee for wicket gate bearings certainly bolsters customer confidence, particularly within the hydro-turbine industry,” says Power. The latest technological trend in the industry is a shift towards environmentally friendly solutions, such as replacing greased bronze and oil-lubricated bearings with water-lubricated alternatives. Thordon Bearings is at the forefront of meeting this requirement by offering innovative water-lubricated bearing solutions that not only reduce environmental impact but also enhance performance and longevity.


Above: The full scope of Thordon supply for the turbine at Tekapo A generating station in New Zealand


Above: ThorPlas-Blue bearings being installed at the So'n La Hydropower Plant


www.waterpowermagazine.com | April 2025 | 17


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