Serious problems in the operation of electricity generation units are observed at the Vasilikos power plant, to the extent that the reliability of the station is competently questioned, with the result that CERA and the Cyprus Transmission System Operator (TSMK) express strong concerns about the possibility of adequacy, in this phase, but also for the rest of 2021 or the next two years!
As “F” is informed, the DSMK, with its letter on December 18, 2020 (addressed to Triaros), but also with more recent interventions of the current director of the DSMK, Stavros Stavrinos, has signaled alarm for frequent problems in the operation of units in Vasilikos and risk of problems in the smooth coverage of energy demand but also for the threat of other disruptions in electricity generation.
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RAEK also seems to share the concerns of DSMK, under the auspices of which a teleconference was held on 25/1/21, after which the EAC was instructed to comment in writing on the situation of the units in Vasiliko and Dhekelia. and mainly for the schedule of completion of all interventions / maintenance / improvements in specific units, so that the Electricity Authority commits in writing as to when all the units will be available, in order to avoid unpleasant and painful surprises in the summer of 2021, but also for the next two summers, until the strengthening of the production with the 6th combined cycle unit in Vasiliko or the combined cycle unit of the private company PEC, in the middle of 2023.
– The problems become more serious if we take into account the obligation of the EAC, towards the EU, to reduce to 18,000 the operating hours of the steam turbines at the Dhekelia station, for the four years 2020-2023, as at the end of '23 these units will have to be withdrawn for environmental reasons. The reduction in hours corresponds to about half of their total potential operation within four years, but the problems in Vasiliko prevent the EAC from drastically reducing the operating hours of units in Dhekelia, with the risk of the limit of 18,000 hours of allowed operation by 2023 to to be completed earlier and to shut down the steam turbines in Dhekelia before 2023, which will affect the possibility of smooth coverage of electricity needs.
Alarm from DSMK
On 18/12/2020, the then director of DSMK, Christos Triaros, in a letter to CERA, entitled “Operational problems at the Vasilikos power plant”, expressed concern and concern about the unsafe availability of production units in Vasilikos. In that letter, Mr. Triaros specifically referred to the problems per unit.
Responding to that letter-warning, CERA convened a teleconference of the involved bodies, on 25/1/21, before which the president of the regulatory authority, Andreas Poullikkas, shared the concerns of the DSMK and stressed that “the strong concern from the fact that there is a marginal adequacy for the winter 2020-21, as well as a marginal adequacy for the years 2021, '22 and '23, given the limitation of the operating hours of the steam turbines of Dhekelia station and the operational problems of the Vasilikos station “.
It should be emphasized that the concerns of the ousted – meanwhile – director of DSMK Christos Triaros are shared by the new director of DSMK, Stavros Stavrinos. At the meeting of January 25, 2021, we are informed that Mr. Stavrinos presented a list of events (problems) and events and said that due to the problems and specific events, the TSMK currently considers the Vasilikos power plant unreliable! He added, in fact, that handwriting samples must be given (obviously from the EAC) in order for the Vasilikos station to be considered reliable and that the situation must be normalized (with the operation of the units in the Vasilikos) before the reduced operation of steam turbines in Dhekelia.
Equally interesting is the fact that one of the EAC representatives at that meeting, Charalambos Menelaou, seemed to understand the reasons why the DSMK expressed concern and anxiety.
Problems and explanations
On February 17, 2021, the EAC, in a letter to CERA, officially takes a position on the problems – delays in the smooth operation of the three steam turbines and the two combined cycle units in Vasiliko. The following results from the letter:
* Although the works on the steam turbine 1 (130 megawatts) have been completed for the possibility of burning natural gas and for the installation of an anti-pollution system to reduce sulfur and nitrogen oxides, but the periods of reliability of the works have not been completed. The operation of the unit can be ensured, but without meeting its environmental limits. Some problems in the catalyst exhaust system are expected to be addressed by the manufacturer.
* Steam turbine 2 (130 megawatts) can not be put into operation and will not be available for operation, not even for emergencies, since the completion of upgrade work is pending, similar to those done in unit 1. The completion of all of work is not expected earlier than the beginning of May.
* There is also a problem in unit 3 (130 megawatts), as the installation of the denitrification unit did not go smoothly, since it was found that the boiler needs to be washed at very frequent intervals, due to urea spillage, according to the indications. The problem is being investigated by EAC technicians and the contractor.
* Unfortunately there are problems in both combined cycle units, 4 and 5. According to the EAC, a problem was found in the gear set of the gear box of unit 41 and unit 4 can not produce 220 megawatts, but 180. The problem is not estimated will be solved, except around the end of 2021. The same problem can be identified in other individual units of unit 4. In addition, according to the EAC, unit 52 also faces … an arousal problem! Improvements will be promoted by the contractor to address it.
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