Emerson to modernise largest thermal power plant in Kazakhstan
8 Jun 2010
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania – Emerson Process Management has won two contracts to modernise controls at the 4,000-MW Ekibastuz GRES-1 coal-fired power plant – the largest power plant in Kazakhstan, producing 13% of the country’s power.
The unit is located in Ekibastuz, the industrial center of a bituminous coal-mining basin that has coal reserves estimated at 8 billion tons. The project, said Emerson, is to help ensure the plant is operating efficiently so that it is better able to meet the growing electricity needs of the country.
Under the first contract, Emerson will modernise the controls for the steam turbine and turbine drives for feedwater pumps at six 500-MW units (Units 3-8). Emerson’s Ovation technology will monitor and control the Turboatom turbines at two of the units and LMZ turbines at the other four; as well as two KTZ turbine drives for feedwater pumps at each unit.
The contract also includes retrofitting the turbine protection system and turbine DEH (digital electro hydraulic) system. The controls upgrade for two of the units will be completed in 2010, and the other four will be finished in 2011-2012.
Using a single Ovation platform to control equipment supplied by different turbine manufacturers will help Ekibastuz GRES-1 streamline operations and improve overall efficiency by reducing the need for training and spare parts, said Emerson, which has previously upgraded other controls at Units 3-7 over the last six years.
Under the second contract, Emerson will digitally automate all major equipment and processes, including unit coordinator and startup and shutdown sequencing at Unit 8.
The aim here to enhance unit-wide compatibility, and improve unit stability, responsiveness and thermal efficiencies; tighter overall control of plant operations; and a more streamlined view of key plant and turbine parameters.
According to Emerson, Ovation will monitor and control at total of 5,000 I/O points at this unit, which is due to return to service in 2012.
Over the next five years, Ekibastuz GRES-1 also plans to extend the scope of Ovation’s control at Units 3-7 to provide unit coordinated control and opportunities for further process optimisation.
