Metso has signed an agreement with Tampereen Energiantuotanto Oy for the renewal of the control system and field devices at the Lielahti power plant in Tampere, Finland (pictured left).
The existing equipment dates back to 1988 when the plant first went on line. It will be replaced by modern technology to support extension of the plant’s operating life by about twenty years, with project completion scheduled for autumn 2011.
Following the upgrade, a single operator will be able to run the power plant, including production and distribution of district heat in Tampere (population over 200 000 inhabitants). Diagnostics and determining the causes of disturbances will also be easier with the new system.
The Lielahti cogeneration plant is natural-gas-fuelled, with electrical installed capacity of 147 MW and district heat capacity of 160 MWt.
Metso’s delivery scope includes removing the old automation system and installing the new one, which encompasses integrated steam turbine controls. Metso will also provide the power plant with round-the-clock upkeep services.
Close co-operation between Metso and Tampereen Energiantuotanto Oy (which is part of Tampereen Sähkölaitos Oy) has lasted for nearly forty years, spanning several generations of automation systems and a number of automation rebuilds for various power plants in Tampere.
