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Technology of Supercritical Importance
back to contentsAtomenergomash decided not to wait for orders from power engineers and to take the lead – develop new technology on its own. Atomenergomash enterprises are offering the market a complex service in equipment supply for 660 MW USSP power units. There’s a demand; the RF power system development scheme suggests construction of more than 20 USSP power units. In 2001 a memorandum was signed between the holding and British branch of South Korean Doosan, which confirmed the idea of developing joint technical and commercial proposal for creation of two 660 MW units of this kind at the Demidovskaya TPP. “We can learn this technology on our own just as well, but our foreign partners help us save time and money”, – says Anatoly Ogurtsov, Atomenergomash General Director’s Chief Advisor. The following enterprises joined the project: Urals Mining and Metallurgical Company (UMCC), Inter RAO UES Russian power company and the Sverdlovsk region authorities. Investors were also found.
Problems and Perspectives
However there was a problem in the scheme of investments’ return. The reason is that Russian power engineering operates a scheme, according to which a power supply agreement is made with the companies willing to build new units. With the help of this document the government confirms that in some or other part of the country new plants are needed and it is ready provide their work for another 10 years’ period. Those power agreements were signed in big amounts in 2008-2010-ies, when a new energy renovation program was started in the country. This scheme is to expire in 2015 and it is not yet clear what is going to come instead. his is an issue to be investigated by authorities.
In Atomenergomash they, however, know that the prospects of USSP are big. Those units are 7-10% more expensive than traditional ones, but with supercritical parameters the unit’s performance factor grows and the plant pays off faster. Also harmful emissions to the atmosphere are reduced, which is quite an important matter for coal stations.
It seems that Doosan is also quite satisfied with the Russian perspective. Its representatives some time ago visited ZiO-Podolsk and were pleased with what they saw. “We might be able to speak not just about selling equipment but about production cooperation as well”, – Atomenergomash General Director’s Chief Advisor says. However it is too early to reveal details, since they are still on their way to negotiations with Koreans. “What matters today is to catch up on the world’s pace, since the next step are 700 °С boilers, which make performance factor grow by 50%”, – Anatoly Ogurtsov says.