VKG Energia is launching their new power generation complex

VKG Energia Põhja thermal power station’s new power generation complex, which has taken a little under three years to undergo expansion and which now includes a new turbo generator set and a renovated boiler, is ready to begin its work. The new equipment will be launched by the end of August and first production is planned for September.

Meelis Eldermann, Technical Director and Member of the Management Board at VKG: „By expanding VKG’s production capabilities and launching a third shale oil plant operating on the basis of Petroter technology, the new complex has a crucial role. In addition to the shale oil produced in the oil plant, products also include retort gas, steam and hot water that are sent to the power plant for heat and power production. The given solution allows us to maximise the energy obtained from oil shale and avoid the use of additional fossil fuels. The methods utilized for electricity and heat production in VKG are several times more efficient than direct oil shale burning and have a considerably smaller ecological footprint. The project will contribute to the increase of energy efficiency and to the ecologically sustainable use of resources in the oil shale industry. “ 

Marek Tull, Member of the Management Board at VKG Energia: „Within the frames of the project a new turbine, generator, cooling system and a substation were built and a boiler was renovated. Final configurations and tests are currently being performed. Teams have been assembled and the personnel training is nearly complete. By realizing this project, the company’s capacity for production will increase, and the effectiveness and reliability of the production complex will improve substantially. The overall cost of the complex is 28 million euros, of which 15 million comprises the investment of the turbo generator set. “ 

The parameters of the equipment being launched:
The maximum capacity for the turbine is 27 MW. The turbine was manufactured in Russia, in the Kaluga turbine factory and the generator comes from the Brush factory in England. It is the second similar turbo generator set in the VKG Energia complex. Turbo generator set nr 5 has been operational since 2011.
The rated capacity for the boiler is 75 tonnes of steam per hour.
The substation operates at a 110 kV voltage with a rated capacity of 40MVA. The substation is necessary in order to connect the production complex with the main transmission system operator Elering AS. 

Several local and foreign companies partook in the designing and construction of the complex. The largest subcontractors were VKG Elektriehitus AS, Eesti Energomontaaž AS, UAB Ekobana (Lithuania). 

VKG Energia is the second largest power production and distribution company in Estonia, whose primary field of activities is energy industry: production of electricity and heating, purchase and sale to large electricity consumers (more than 1 GWh) and supplying industrial enterprises with industrial steam. 

The company has got two power stations. The total thermal capacity of VKG Energia is 400 MW and the electric production capacity is 95 MW. VKG Energia was the first company in Estonia to introduce a sulphur-trapping unit which removes sulphur from flue gases. Currently two sulphur-trapping units are operational with a third under construction. 

Additional information:
Irina Bojenko
VKG Public Relations Manager
Tel 334 2702
GSM 523 2700
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