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| Caribbean-Latin America |
| Venezuela's largest power plant running at 12% capacity |
| 2007-11-21 |
| VenezuelaÂ’s Planta Centro, the largest thermal power plant in Latin America, is generating only 240-MW of its total 2,000-MW because of the unavailability of four of its five generating units. Unit 2 is finally being brought online after maintenance personnel found high levels of vibration in bearings No.1, No.2 and No. 5 during its restart on September 6, 2007. Currently, the plant-maintenance division is controlling the turbineÂ’s start-up and will proceed with the unitÂ’s synchronization with the electrical grid after nominal speed is reached. On June 28, 2007, Unit 3Â’s generator failed because of a detached blade of the hydrogen-cooling ventilator, causing cracks in the primary water systemÂ’s hoses. Alstom Power specialists have started revisions and repairs on the turbineÂ’s generator. Support work on the feed water tank, low and high-pressure preheaters and main boiler are also being conducted. Repairs on the 400-MW unit are expected to take about 30 days. Unit 4 continues to run at about half capacity, generating only 240-MW of its 400-MW because of a high-pressure difference in the inlet/outlet of the regenerative air heaters. The plantÂ’s maintenance division undertook lubes/cleaning works on October 15, 2007. Units 1 and 5 are unavailable, undergoing conversion of the main boilers to gas. Unit 1 began the conversion process in August 2003, and Alstom Power is performing the works. The same goes for Unit 5. In addition to the boiler conversion process, No. 5Â’s transformer 5BT02 is being repaired. The plantÂ’s engineers expect to have both units back online by May 2008. CompañÃa Anónima de Administración y Fomento EléctricoÂ’s (Cadafe) Planta Centro is VenezuelaÂ’s largest thermal generating plant connected to VenezuelaÂ’s power grid, with five generating units that burn natural gas and fuel oil. VenezuelaÂ’s power-generation system is made up of eight private and five state-owned utilities. About 95 percent of VenezuelaÂ’s population is served by the National Interconnected System. During the last few months, VenezuelaÂ’s unfavorable weather conditions have made things difficult for the countryÂ’s power grid. Record high temperatures, electrical storms and heavy rains have caused major flaws to VenezuelaÂ’s power system. Line contamination, low- and high-tension line dilatation, frequent power outages and electrical arcs are among some of the consequences of VenezuelaÂ’s adverse weather conditions that have affected the countryÂ’s interconnected power system. (Source: Industrial Info Resources) |
| Posted by:Alaska Paul |
| #4 Did they ever repair the single bridge connecting the suburb where all the managers lived with Caracas? Or did the employees all get apartments in the city, leaving wives and family to cope alone? With the power plant doing so poorly, telecommuting wouldn't work very well, I'd think. |
| Posted by: trailing wife in Buffalo for Thanksgiving 2007-11-21 22:26 |
| #3 WOW! I got a job offer from Alstom Power. I turned it down. I mighta wound up in Venezuela. |
| Posted by: Deacon Blues 2007-11-21 21:58 |
| #2 hope they got the bearings from the Iranian centrifuge supplier |
| Posted by: Frank G 2007-11-21 21:54 |
| #1 Bullseye. |
| Posted by: newc 2007-11-21 21:39 |