The largest investment in Południowy Koncern Energetyczny – construction of the 460 MW unit in the Łagisza Power Plant – is entering the final stage. The investment will be commissioned at the end of the first quarter of 2009.

This will be a 460 MW unit. The investment amounts to about 1.89 million PLN and is financed from company resources, ecological resources and funds from bond issue The unit in the Łagisza Power Plant will combust about 1.2 million T of coal annually. Construction works have been continuing since January 2006.

Owing to high efficiency of the unit, the CO^₂ emission into the atmosphere will be lower by 25 % than in production units to be replaced by this unit. At the same time, both SO₂ and NO_x emission will not exceed 200 mg/Nm³, which corresponds to requirements of EU directives and is in conformity with provisions of the Treaty of Accession.

The second half of 2008 will face the first tests of the most critical installations and machines. One of the most important events at the start-up will be the first firing up of the boiler planned at the end of August.

Until the end of summer holiday, start-up works at  the 460 MW will focus mainly on preparation of machines to conduct the chemical cleaning of the boiler and, at the second stage, its blowing. It is expected that the start-up in the turbine part will involve, among others, the main cooling system preceded by the leakproof test of the cooling pan and the central shaft, the operation water system, main machinery of the condensate and feed water system with the tank and the primer pump of feed water.

Another important stage will be connection of auxiliary steam from existing 120 MW units and commencement of blowing auxiliary installations of the engine room in the 460 MW unit.

In the boiler, apart from preparation of the steam and water system with assembly of necessary temporary installations (necessary in the period of etching and blowing), it is necessary to start up, among others, air supply and waste gas discharge systems and the firing-up installation. At the stage of etching, it is planned to fire up the boiler for the first time, which is related to firing-up burner tests.

In respect of auxiliary installations, plans focus mainly on start-up of the unloading installation, warehouse and pumping station of light firing-up oil. This results from necessary ensuring of the fuel for the aforementioned tests.

Today, compressed air for  Control and Measurement Instruments and Automation is supplied to the construction site by the connection opened in June with the existing compressor house of the Łagisza Power Plant. However, it is expected in August that assembly works will be completed and the start-up of the new compressor house and compressed air network will be commenced. This is to ensure the ability to conduct tests on pneumatic ash and sorbent transport systems to prepare the systems on time for operation with the medium during boiler blowing.

Start-up works are also anticipated in July and August in the coal screening and crushing plant, which is an important element of the unit coaling system. The goal is to enable coal feeding to the boiler and fire the coal already during boiler blowing.

(dar)