Skip navigation 
Previous Page
15
Generation & Wholesale Markets
December 2012/January 2013 www.esb.ie/em
Moneypoint Overhauls successfully completed
MONEYPOINT STATION successfully completed significant overhaul works on Units 1 and 2 during August/September 2012. Unit 1 underwent a two-yearly overhaul while Unit 2 had its first four-yearly interval overhaul. These works were particularly challenging as the outages overlapped over 10 days to enable a full chimney inspection and repairs.
The Moneypoint Environmental Retrofit Project (MERP) equipment had its first in-house overhaul including the installation of a third layer of catalyst within Unit 1’s selective catalytic reducer (SCR). The outages were also the first major outages using the ‘New Safety Rules’.
The projected load demand for Moneypoint is expected to remain high over the coming years thus giving limited maintenance opportunities in the immediate future, therefore, the project team made every effort to determine plant condition by analysing all available data to ensure that the limited resources were best used.
The project was under the responsibility of the Overhaul Group and was supported by an Overhaul Project Board. The overhauls were managed by Project Manager Eddie Dempsey and his dedicated team, with additional support provided by Asset Assurance & Engineering and ESBI. Tendering and procuring equipment and services during the planning phase began mid-2011. There was also a strong focus on quality management with great support given by ESBI and Asset Management’s technical specialists.
The project safety management plan included a pre-outage contractor safety forum, a traffic management plan and a rescue-training programme with exercises. The safety management team consisted of two safety officers, a staff safety representative and a nurse and with daily and weekly safety meetings ensured all work activities were safely coordinated. The feedback on the ‘New Safety Rules’ was positive with improvements identified.
At peak activity during the outages, there were 600 workers on the site, creating a significant safety challenge in itself. Despite the fact that there were zero lost time incidents (LTI s), there were five P1 incidents and a few minor accidents. Lessons learned will be applied on future outages to further improve safety. There was considerable pressure on the General Services team to ensure units were prepared for inspections and repairs, however the team managed to complete this demanding schedule by working 21-days around the clock.
The challenge for the overhaul team was further compounded by some significant ‘as founds’. These included significant repairs to Unit 1’s airheater baskets, repairs to CW pumps in Nos. 2 and 3, and the replacement of turbine inlet valve strainers. The fact that the significant workload planned was fully completed, safely and without an LTI, on time and within budget, is testament to the commitment and dedication of all staff concerned and it ensured that both these outages were so successful.
Frank Nolan RIP
Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family of our dear colleague Frank Nolan who passed away recently. Frank made a significant contribution to the success of the outages and was a key member of Moneypoint Staff.
Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.
Contents
■ Overhauls complete
Moneypoint has sucessfully completed works on Units 1 and 2
■ A milestone celebration
Five members of the team at Corby celebrates 20 years of service
■ ESB raises €5,000 for Oncology Unit
Staff from West Offaly and Lough Ree presented a cheque to Tullamore Oncology
■ Minister of State visits Shannon silver eel trap
ESB works towards ensuring the stock of eels in Ireland is maintained
■ Making a difference
The Central Procurement team turn their hands to helping those less fortunate
■ SEAI Energy Seminar
Ardnacrusha Power Station hosts an event for large energy users
ESB hosts 21st International V94.2 Gas Turbine User Group Conference
The 21st V94.2 Gas Turbine User Group conference was hosted by ESB from Wednesday to Friday October 17th to 19th at the Clontarf Castle Hotel
The conference was attended by 85 delegates representing representing 41 different power stations from around the world that are fitted with V94.2 gas turbines and the event was supported by turbine manufacturers Siemens AG of Germany and Ansaldo Energia of Italy.
ESB has been a significant contributor to the V94.2 User Group meetings and has shared its valuable technical knowledge and experience with users from around the world over many years.
ESB has two V94.2 gas turbines in combined cycle mode at the Poolbeg CCGT site. ESB International also operates two V94.2 gas turbines in combined cycle at Rousch in Pakistan on behalf of the station’s owner RPPL.
The first user presentation was given by Adrian Barnes and was a review of the history of the previous 20 V94.2 User Group meetings. The first, in 1994 in the Netherlands, was attended by 10 users. Adrian’s presentation covered the history of the V94.2 gas turbine and advancements and improvements in V94.2 compressor, combustion and turbine section technology and concluded with a summary of some outstanding technical maintenance issues. The two manufacturers were challenged to review and address these items.
There were a further eight user presentations on the first day of the conference covering: operation and maintenance issues, upgrades, thrust-bearing failures, power-limit increases and a presentation by Jonathon Cosgrove of ESBI and Nadeem Rabbani from Rousch on ‘Life-time extension’. Poolbeg Station Asset Manager Arnold Mahon presented on significant maintenance issues that the station has encountered over the last five years.
The second day of the conference was dedicated to OEM presentations from Siemens and Ansaldo Energia, covering fleet performance updates, modernisations and upgrades, flexible life-time programme concepts and residual-life assessment.
The third day included formal question and answer Sessions with the two OEMS and a closed session for the users. Kieran Tubridy, of ESB Asset Development, presented on ‘Renewables and Wind Basics’. He outlined ESB’s expertise in renewables and presented on technical fundamentals of wind turbines and wind farm site selection.
ESB technical experience and inputs into presentations during the conference, as well as moderation of the user’s question and answer sessions by Martin McConnon of ESB, ensured the conference ran smoothly. ESB is well-respected as an experienced V94.2 User by other users and by the OEMs.
The success of the conference was due to the dedication and commitment by the Organising Committee, which was led by Adrian Barnes and which included Jacquie Anderson, Martin McConnon, Arnold Mahon and Niall McGeorge from Poolbeg Power Station.
“The three-day conference was formally opened by Manager of Generation Nicholas Tarrant and chaired by Adrian Barnes of ESB Production Engineering.
