An interview with Kazimierz Szynol – Jaworzno III Power Plant Manager.

On 24th of May we witnessed two announcements or information about the construction of two new power generation units in Jaworzno III Power Plant was officially confirmed. We are talking about 50 MWe biomass-fired boiler and the large capacity boiler of minimum 800 MW – the first one of such capacity to be constructed in PKE. How are you feeling as the plant manager of the power plant which is commencing such investments?

The shortest answer to your question – great! But seriously, on May 24 we signed the contract for the delivery and erection of the biomass-fired boiled with auxiliary facilities as well as the biomass storage and feed installation in Jaworzno III Power Plant. The contract was concluded between Południowy Koncern Energetyczny SA and a consortium of companies RAFAKO and OMIS SC. The contract execution date was set on September 30, 2012.

During the meeting devoted to the biomass-fired boiler construction contract signing the Management Board of Południowy Koncern Energetyczny provided information on the current execution status of project concerning the construction of the large capacity power unit – 800 MW class. A call for tenders was issued on May 18. For the interested parties – the detailed information concerning the tender is placed on PKE SA website and in the Official Journal of the European Union. The announcement can also be found in TED (Tenders Electronic Daily) – an Internet version of the Supplement to the Official journal of the European Union devoted to European public procurement tenders.

Can we start with a few words on the smaller investment in Jaworzno III Power Plant?

The consortium offer includes the project execution, delivery, assembly and start-up of OFZ 201 biomass-fired boiler in Jaworzno III Power Plant – Power Plant II. The bid value amounts to circa net PLN 230 mil. As far as the construction costs are concerned, these comprise not only the boiler itself but also the auxiliary equipment as well as the biomass storage and feed installation. To a layman it may seem that the biomass-fired boiler is a little more costly than the standard hard coal-fired fluidized-bed boiler.

In Jaworzno, only the boiler alongside the auxiliary facilities will be constructed because the turbine…

The renewable energy sources power unit in Południowy Koncern Energetyczny Jaworzno III Power Plant – Power Plant II will be equipped with a new fluidized-bed boiler dedicated solely to biomass firing, which will cooperate with an already existing turbine TG 1 – which at present is connected to boiler K4. This boiler will be put out of operation the moment the new power unit construction is completed. We stipulate the rated boiler operation with the agrobiomass share amounting to minimum 20 percent. The remaining 8o percent will be the forest biomass.

Until now, Południowy Koncern Energetyczny does not possess boilers in which only biomass is fired. Are there any specific problems related to the construction of such unit?

It is a boiler which will fire the so-called hard fuel. The plant origin chemical elements found in the biomass (mainly chlorine, phosphorus, potassium) are truly a big challenge for the designers and contractors. It also requires the application of unique materials so as to eliminate the high-temperature corrosion which significantly increases the investment cost.

The biomass-fired boiler and the auxiliary facilities will be constructed by the consortium in which RAFAKO plays the leading role. What does it mean to us in practice?

RAFAKO has a great experience executing this type of investments thus it means that PKE has a strong and trustworthy partner for the execution of an investment of great importance to us. As per the schedule, in two years we will have an official firing of the boiler. The basis task of the RES power unit will be operation in the condensation mode and the generation of the so-called green energy.

Signing the contract on May 24 the Management Board of PKE SA informed about the next large investment to be carried out in Jaworzno.

To be more precise about the call for tenders that was published on May 18 concerning the tender for the construction of the large capacity power unit – power unit of 800 MW class in Jaworzno III Power Plant. This unit will fire hard coal coming from the local mines.

What does this publication concern?

The construction of new capacity in coal technologies in PKE SA – therefore the construction of a new power unit with the capacity 800 – 900 MW with supercritical parameters in Jaworzno III Power Plant – Power Plant II including: the steam boiler, the turbine set, the main building, electric part and Control and Measurement Instruments and Automation of the power unit.

To be more precise, the subject of the tender is the design, deliveries, assembly, start-up and commissioning of the power unit with supercritical parameters with auxiliary installations and facilities. What will be the technical parameters of this power unit?

Technological data in accordance with our requirements are as follows:

Gross installed capacity – minimum 800 MWe, maximum 910 MWe, design fuel – hard coal, coming mainly from local mines, boiler type – steam, the turbine set type – condensation turbine, installation construction which will guarantee meeting all emission norms in force in Poland and in the European union, net power unit efficiency with auxiliary facilities – minimum 45%, cooling system with the application of the wet natural draft cooling tower.

With such similar information one cannot ask about the costs of this investment and its exact location.

It is a project of the value exceeding PLN 6 billion. The power unit will be constructed on site of Power Plant II and partially on site of the Awaryjne Housing Estate. That is why demolition of the houses located there will be necessary. The tenants will be offered other flats in the new facilities built for this purpose.

What do the two new investments mean for PKE SA and local community?

A large coal-fired power unit will be erected in cutting-edge technology. At present there are few such units in operation and under construction in the entire world. It will be a unit with supercritical parameters characterized with the highest power generation efficiency. These two investments: the biomass-fired boiler and the large coal-fired power unit are a huge chance for an enormous technological leap and development for Południowy Koncern Energetyczny SA, the entire Tauron Polska Energia Group, the power plant and local community of Jaworzno.

Thank you for the interview and we promise we will keep updating our readers as far as two Jaworzno investments are concerned.

Andrzej Cygielski