High flying Hidromek’s

by Nick Drew | Thu 14 Jan 2016

High flying Hidromek’s

I came across this mobile phone photo recently on Linkedin and thought it would be a good idea to share it here on the Digger Man Blog.

The photo shows an ageing Turkish Hidromek machine being lifted out of a gorge during construction of the controversial Ilisu Dam & Hydro Electric Power Plant project which is under construction on the River Tigris close to the village of Ilisu in Turkey. Because of its difficult terrain machines have had to be lifted in and out of the construction area by crane on this job which first started in 2006 and is due for completion this year.

The machine in the shot looks like one of Hidromek’s most popular sizes of excavator the 22 tonne class HMK220LC and is sporting the original yellow livery which the company changed to black and white in 2010, two examples of which can be seen down in the excavation. I first visited the Hidromek factory in Ankara back in 2010 when the yellow machines were still being produced.

The Ilisu Dam project has drawn international controversy since its inception due to the fact that it will flood portions of ancient Hasankeyf and necessitate the relocation of people living in the region. Because of this, the dam lost international funding in 2008. Kurdish militants have also attacked infrastructure associated with the dam which has also led to long construction delays.

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