2 AFCONSULT Company Profile
2 AFCONSULT Company Profile
2 AFCONSULT Company Profile
COMPANY PROFILE
2016
www.afconsult.com/switzerland
Contents
1 AF-CONSULT SWITZERLAND LTD ............................ 1
1.1 History ............................................................................................... 3
1.2 Organization and Structure ................................................................ 4
Our first priority is to provide first-rate engineering services in all fields of energy and
environmental technology to secure our customers market success. In so doing, we
also strive to maintain and improve the quality of life while taking all possible
measures to preserve and save natural resources. To achieve this goal, we make use
of our companys know-how, our international market presence and the full range of
potential of our staff. AF-Consult Switzerland sees itself as an independent agent of
our clients, without affiliations to the suppliers, providing services aligned at all times
with the needs and standards of the customers.
Energy and environmental technology for the Swiss and international market.
The subsidiary companies of AF-Consult Switzerland support world-wide en-
ergy and environmental projects
Motor-Columbus Ltd operated through the world for many decades playing a leading
role especially in planning, financing, constructing and operating power generation,
transmission and distribution systems.
In 1969 the Engineering division of Motor Columbus Ltd became a separate company
called Motor-Columbus Consulting Engineers Inc. still belonging 100 % to the Motor-
Columbus Group.
By that time, the nuclear power programs of Switzerland and the surrounding Euro-
pean countries was being developed and Motor-Columbus Consulting Engineers Inc.
was one of the major players.
In 1990, the Motor-Columbus Group was restructured and the engineering division was
renamed Colenco Power Engineering Ltd.
These activities are organised in 6 departments as shown on page 2, where by the de-
partment renewable energies and environment is combining the energy technology
with the environmental technology. Each of these 6 departments has its own annual
budget and is responsible for the commercial, technical and economic aspects of its ac-
tivities.
Control functions, support and assistance services available to the technical depart-
ments include:
Since the year 1996, AF-Consult Switzerland Ltd (AFC) operates a certified quality
management system that meets the ISO 9001 standard. In addition to meeting the
stringent quality requirements, the areas of environmental and occupational health
and safety are also of central importance for AFC. Since 2014, these areas are as well
certified and summarized in the Integrated Management System (IMS). Hence, AFC
has another powerful tool in order to offer its customers the best services which meet
the most demanding requirements in terms of quality, sustainability and security.
Our experience covers a broad range of conventional plants, from the alpine type, with
long tunnels and hundreds of meters heads, to low run-of-river facilities, developing
few meters head. In addition, we have developed along the years an extensive know-
how on the design and implementation of reversible pumped storage plants.
Many existing power stations need to be maintained and up-graded in view of the in-
creasing energy shortages. We help clients with complete renewal concepts and in-
vestment planning, renovation of penstocks, and the optimization of turbines and
other electromechanical equipment. We have established our own method (Colenco
method) for the assessment of the conditions of existing power stations.
We are planning and designing dams of all sizes and types for hydro projects, storage
of water for industrial purposes and resource management. Our specialists knowledge
is particularly geared to overall planning, foundation problems and subsoil sealing, the
interaction of the dam foundation with the dam and the reservoir, static and dynamic
calculations using the latest finite-element methods, material technology (e.g. roller
compacted concrete), and the long-term behavior of dams.
The increasing complexity of our work demands ever greater innovation and adaptabil-
ity. We use the most modern tools and methods for static and dynamic analyses of hy-
draulic systems, mathematical modelling of foundations and superstructures, static
and dynamic calculations of structures and buildings, and dynamic calculations of flood
waves.
For the rehabilitation and optimization of the existing energy plants, we provide a
broad spectrum of engineering services for the identification and implementation of the
required improvement measures, as well as the support of plant personnel for optimal
operation and maintenance, training and other organizational aspects.
Already during the project development phase, as well as in the framework of the
world-wide privatization activities of the power and energy sector, the Project Consult-
ing Group also provide special consulting services for identification, development and
evaluation of all kind of energy projects. Our experts carry out due diligence services
for new projects consisting of technical, environmental, financial, economic and organi-
zational project assessment. In addition, due diligence activities for existing energy
plants include the site investigation, estimation of the plant residual life time and cost,
as well as the evaluation of the relevant operational and maintenance aspects of the
plant. Also the required activities for data room review of the plant documentation
could be provided.
Within Thermal Energy, we have performed consulting and engineering services for the
implementation of several power plant projects worldwide in countries such as Ger-
many, France, Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, Italy, Latvia, Macedonia, Albania and
Syria.
Also integrated within Thermal Energy is our Electrical and I&C Technology Group.
One important aspect of engineering within this group is the Instrumentation and Con-
trol (I & C) design and engineering works for plant control systems and instrumenta-
tion technology, control rooms, plant information and operating systems, auxiliary
power supply systems, upgrading of plant process control systems, fire detection sys-
tems, signaling and monitoring systems.
This group also handles all these corresponding tasks for the nuclear and hydropower
plants departments.
For all kind of projects, our experts pay particular attention to the energy efficiency
and environmental impact of the plant. Under consideration of the financial and eco-
nomic criteria, and the local conditions for each individual project, the most suitable
solution is selected. Depending on the available fuels and the local environmental re-
quirements, we also provide the necessary services for the planning and implementa-
tion of all kinds of flue gas cleaning systems (e. g. DeSOx, DeNOx) and waste dis-
posal.
For new nuclear power plant projects or major back fitting projects, we provide feasi-
bility assessments and design re-views. Proper specification of services and supplies
are crucial for such projects. We are very experienced in procurement methods and re-
lated services from the early phases of specification until the contract development
and negotiation phases. Supporting the project organization in management tasks as
contract management including claim management, quality management and licensing
issues, we help our clients to achieve the planned project performance.
The operation of nuclear facilities must ensure both a high safety level as well as high
economic indicators. We support the operators in the fields of safety analyses, plant
life extension, man-machine interface, emergency preparedness, updating of docu-
ments related to safety, plant organization and training. The excellent knowledge of
plant processes enable our specialists to advise on external audits as OSART and
WANO missions as well as difficult to assess topics as safety culture.
We are very engaged in radioactive waste conditioning, storage and disposal projects.
The spectrum of experiences includes process technology, fuel element reprocessing,
waste management, interim storage, design of repositories and operational safety
analyses.In the area of decommissioning and dismantling of nuclear facilities we pro-
vide expertise in conceptual and basic engineering. As far as project management is
one of our core competences, our specialists support the clients in all project manage-
ment tasks all over the life cycle of de-commissioning projects.
Our power line projects range from distribution lines and distribution networks to un-
derground cable systems and to high voltage transmission lines; with an additional ex-
perience of transmission lines in difficult surroundings, such as crossing the Alps or
lines in Asian and African jungles or swamp areas. We conduct feasibility studies, all
the necessary line surveying, specifications, tender documents and tender evaluations,
performs the detailed engineering of the lines, of foundations as well as towers and
conductors, approves detailed design of contractors, is engaged in project manage-
ment and project supervision and in cost control and final cost assessment.
The regular staff of this department has acquired an extensive know-how over many
years by designing, engineering and implementing electrical systems for complete hy-
dro, thermal and nuclear power stations, as well as for substations and switchgears,
transmission lines, HV cable systems, tele control SCADA systems and corresponding
network simulation and optimization analyses.
The longer the more, in some countries wind energy plays a key role. We support in-
vestors from an early project stage until the commercial operation of wind farms. AF-
Consult Switzerland Ltd is also supporting its customers in location evaluations and
feasibility studies, in obtaining construction and operation permissions, technical de-
sign and procurement as well as in construction supervision and acceptance-proce-
dures of wind energy converters from EPC-suppliers. Investors can also count on our
knowledge and experience concerning technical due diligence. (Wind energy)
We support investors with our expertise in usage of groundwater resources with geo-
thermal energy. Our services include characterization of locations and dimensioning of
Further, we offer extensive consulting services for an effective economical and ecologi-
cal development. Our experts support you in your projects in any environmental rele-
vant matter, such as Environmental Impact Assessments and environmental planning,
and expertise for noise, air pollution prevention, groundwater and ground protection,
contaminated sites and soil, and waste management. (Environment)
Field investigations are conceptualized and planned with, for example, complex hy-
draulic borehole tests being coordinated on-site as well as analyzed with borehole sim-
ulators developed by us. Hydrogeological models are conceptualized and realized nu-
merically to characterize groundwater flow.
Thanks to a wide array of high-tech hardware and software tools and highly experi-
enced modelers, the hydrogeological modelling includes sophisticated features like
geo-statistical parameter estimation including uncertainty, intricate geometries such as
fracture zones penetrated in tunnel excavations, coupled processes such as thermal-
hydraulic-mechanical processes and multi-phase flow. The safety or risk analysis deals
in large parts with scenario development, contaminant dispersion modelling and the
analysis of convoluted physical and chemical processes associated with waste reposito-
ries. Over the last decade, software engineering for geo-scientific applications has
evolved as an independent service. Software solutions are tailored from scratch or set
up as expansions or adaptations of available software in order to meet project-specific
requirements.
Much of the knowledge and experience fostered in the department stems from the de-
partments past and ongoing activities related to the deep geological disposal of radio-
active waste. At the same time, the tools for the quantitative characterization of sub-
surface environments have been put to work on hydrogeological investigations for,
among others, railway tunnels and hydropower plants, and the supply and protection
of drinking water. In the field of renewable energy we provide site characterizations for
the energy utilization of groundwater and thermal water, and geothermal reservoir
simulations. Interactive 3D visualizations of underground facilities, databases and geo-
scientific syntheses complement our spectrum of services.
AF-Consult Switzerland Ltd
Company Profile 2016 Page 14 (16)
4 SERVICES PROVIDED
4.1 General
Our services cover the full range of activities from initial planning and project develop-
ment over design, tendering and project implementation, up to operation and mainte-
nance, for all types of projects. In particular, our services include the following:
Feasibility Phase:
Conception Phase:
Tender Phase:
Implementation Phase:
Technical support for claims solutions and litigation is also offered, either as part of
construction supervision and project management assignments, or as a specific ser-
vice.
The general technical background of the company allows us to offer consultancy and
advisory services in the field of institutional strengthening, organizational concepts, re-
structuring and privatization of public energy utilities and financial aspects.