Planta Centro Unit 4 Offline after Combustion Gas Leak

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--The Planta Centro Thermoelectric Complex shut down the 400-megawatt (MW) Unit 4 on Wednesday, February 6, 2008, after a combustion gas leak was detected in guide bearing lube B. The plant, in central Venezuela's Carabobo State, is owned by Compania Anonima de Administracion y Fomento Electrico (Cadafe).

Maintenance personnel were working to repair the leak and hoped to bring the unit back online by today, February 13, 2008. This unit had been generating 260 MW out of its total 400 MW because of the unavailability of the condensate extraction pump B caused by a mechanical failure of the pump. Also, it had a high-pressure difference in the inlet/outlet of the regenerative air heaters.

Maintenance personnel are also repairing Unit 3's generator, which failed in June 2007, because of a detached blade in the hydrogen-cooling ventilator, causing cracks in the primary water system's hoses. The start up of this unit, which was scheduled for the end of 2007, was delayed because of boiler problems related to combustion air flow measurement.

The plant, inaugurated in 1972, has a total power output of 2,000 MW when at full load. Units 1 and 5 are undergoing conversion of main boilers to gas. Unit 2 is reduced to 260 MW because of the unavailability of burners 41, 44, 43, 51, 62, 71 and 74. For details, view related October 11, 2007, article - Venezuela's Planta Centro Running At 12% Of Total Capacity.

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