We are pleased to present this book which showcases ... - WSP Group

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Narva Power Plants, Estonia
ENVIRONMENTAL INVESTMENT IN
THE POWER SECTOR
Client:
ENVIRONMENTAL
AS Narva Elekrijaamad
Status:
Contract commenced 2003
Completion 2009
WSP services:
Project management
Environmental consultancy
Construction supervision
Mechanical process engineering
Instrumentation and controls engineering
Project finance advice
In 2003, the Estonia power generation company,AS Narva
Elektrijaamad (NEJ), part of the Republic of Estonia’s state owned
energy company Eesti Energia contracted WSP to lead and execute
three environmental projects at its main electricity generation plants.
Eesti power plant, the world’s largest oil shale fired thermal power
station, and the Balti power plant are located close to the city of
Narva in eastern Estonia, an area rich in oil shale deposits which
form the basis of Estonia’s energy production.
Following Estonia’s accession to the EU in 2004 its energy sector
faces significant environmental challenges to comply with EU
standards and implement its directives.WSP’s appointment to manage
the projects was based on the team’s considerable experience of
managing projects for power plant owners and suppliers, in-depth
understanding of EU legislation and specialist expertise in power
plant technology.
Continuous emission monitoring system
All large combustion plants must be equipped with continuous
air emission monitoring (CEM) systems as required by EU (LCP
directive) and Estonian legislation.As part of the project,WSP is
managing and supervising the installation and commissioning of CEM
at the power stations and the oil plant, where waste emissions to the
air must also be monitored continuously.
At the Narva site, several boilers are connected to a single stack,
allowing the installation of CEM equipment to monitor several
hundred megawatts of generation capacity at one point.The CEM
system installed involves very advanced technology providing the
best possible technical solution for boiler power plant installations.
It will enable the client to make considerable savings on investment
and maintenance costs in years to come.
During the first year of the contract, the project was planned and
the purchasing process completed in accordance with Estonian public
procurement legislation, with WSP taking the lead in ensuring
compliance. Implementation commenced in 2005 following the
appointment of an independent contractor in international tender.
Reconstruction of ash handling system
About 10m t of oil shale is burnt each year, producing 5m t of ash
which once extracted from the plant boilers is mixed with water and
pumped into a landfill site.As the ash settles and separates the water
is sent back to the power plant and re-used for further ash
treatment and transportation.
To comply with Estonian environmental commitments NEJ must
reduce the negative impact of this process on the environment by
substantially reducing the amount of alkaline water in the ash fields,
reconstructing used landfills, and re-cultivating redundant settlement
ponds.WSP is assisting in the design and testing of a new pilot plant
prior to construction of a new ash handling system before mid 2009.
As this represents a considerable investment,WSP is also supporting
the company in preparing the documentation required to secure
financial support from the EU.
Ash field closure
A redundant 500 ha ash field at the Balti power plant, is to be
levelled, covered in soil and planted with herbaceous plants and
trees.Although it has not been used for ash disposal since 1986,
the field has been used to collect and evaporate excessive rainwater
from the landfill.The pH of the water on the ash field will be
lowered in a new state-of-the-art neutralisation unit and discharged
into the environment. Existing huge “green water pools” above the
landfill will be treated and the top plateau re-cultivated.The lower
pond water level will be lowered to create a wetland.Twelve new
wells will be installed in addition to 12 existing wells to monitor
the ground water. Conditions for natural progress of long-term
ecosystem recovery will be established, and a new industrial inert
waste landfill will be created in part of the closed ash field.
Construction of this project is ongoing and scheduled for
completion in March 2007.