Venezuela's Planta Centro Continues To Be Derated Because of Equipment Failure

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--The 2,000-megawatt (MW) Planta Centro complex, one of Latin America's thermal plants, has been derated to 600 MW because three of the plant's five units have experienced equipment failure. The boilers of units 1 and 5 have been undergoing conversions to gas since August 2003. The facility is owned and operated by Compania Anonima de Administracion y Fomento Electrico, a subsidiary of Corpoelec, Venezuela's state-owned utility.

Unit 2 is currently generating only 250 MW because of a problem with the vacuum condenser. In addition, the unit has two burners out of service because of startup problems. The unit had to be taken offline in June 2008 for a cracked paddle on low-pressure turbine number 2. For more details, view related July 22, 2008, article - Venezuela's Planta Centro Derated to 190 Megawatts after Equipment Failure in Three Units.

Unit 3 has been down since June 20 because of several leaks in the air-gas system. This unit was generating only 240 MW from its 500-MW capacity, because the unit is incapable of increasing the excitation current from the generator as a result of deterioration of the isolation generator rotor. In addition, low oxygen levels are inhibiting combustion. This machine is supposed to be brought back online around June 25.

Unit 4's output has been reduced to 300 MW of its 500-MW capacity because of low oxygen levels caused by several leaks in the air-gas system.

The gas-conversion tasks were supposed to be completed in March of this year for Unit 1 and by mid-2010 for Unit 5. However, plant officials said that work on Unit 1 has not concluded and that workers are currently finishing maintenance on the main transformer (AT01). The end date is also uncertain on Unit 5 because of a fire that occurred in the auxiliary transformer, BT02. In the last months, the plant has been generating between 100 MW and 700 MW of electricity.

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