Winding personnel from the Energy Division and the Dams and Spillways Unit, led by a design engineer, carried out the no-load test (no water spill) at gate 14 of the Gatun spillway.

This spillway is located at the entrance of the Canal, and the test was a step prior to the major maintenance work scheduled to be performed during the months of February and March.

During this type of test, measurements are taken of the motors (amperage, voltage) and the time to open and close the gate, which usually takes seven minutes to raise and eight minutes to lower.

“This test is carried out to know the initial condition of the floodgate and all its components, and once it is finished, the findings are evaluated and all the floodgate components are disassembled for their respective maintenance,” hydrologist Albano Aguilar told El Faro.

Personnel from the Energy Division and the Dams and Spillways Unit are carrying out this work. Major maintenance work on the Canal’s spillways consists, among other things, of changing the oil in the reduction gearbox, greasing the main chains and replacing the entire gate with a repaired replacement gate at the Canal’s Fleet and Equipment Management and Maintenance Division.