The thermal power plant of Soto de Ribera is carrying out a general inspection of group 3. With these works, that entail an investment of more than 8 million euros, EDP ensures the functioning of the installation for the following four years, regarding both its operational availability and flexibility, and the compliance of the requirements of its Integrated Environmental Authorization.

During this check-up, EDP executes different projects for the modernization and improvement of the facilities, that concentrate the use of national coal, acquired for the generation of electric energy.

The works in this intervention will be generating 400 jobs, from 25 different companies, 60% out of which are Asturian. In total, around 120 000 hours of work. Apart from these, 100 direct jobs should be added, from the plant itself, and other 120 that are aimed for the construction of the denitrification plant.

These numbers entail an important challenge for the organization, because of the technical, preventive and environmental complexities implied by such concurrence of tasks and people.

During this inspection, different performances will be developed, that will suppose an optimization of the functioning and a greater operational flexibility of this thermic group.

Among these performances it is to highlight, especially, the substitution of the fuel and gas oil by natural gas in the group’s start up, with the consequent change of associated teams and installations. EDP will become the first company to launch this system in Asturias.

The use of natural gas will reduce, annually, around 25 % of the CO2 emissions – 3 000 tons –, 99 % of the Sox – 50 tons –, 97 % of the particles’ emissions – 4 tons –, and 27 % of the NOx – 5 tons.

Apart from the numerous advantages for the operation and maintenance of the central equipment, natural gas is a more manageable and cleaner fuel, that eases the group’s launching, as its combustion is much more stable than the one of fuel and gas oil.

This fuel change will also avoid risks that entail both the gas and fuel oil transportation, and its storage and conservation in the plant.

Another noted work that EDP will be developing during this general check-up is the adaptation of air heaters and the “booster” air vent of the desulphurization plant, in order to adjust them to the functioning conditions of the new catalytic denitrification plant.

EDP will also be substituting different elements of the group and making important mechanical and electrical changes. In total, the company will be revising and developing more than 300 points.

Since its last general check-up, in April 2014, Soto 3 has worked more than 12 500 hours, generating around 5 845 GWh of electric energy, the equivalent of what 1.5 million households consume throughout a year, and using 700 000 tons of national coal.

Denitrification plant

Meanwhile, the works in the catalytic denitrification plant are in the closing stages. This significative environmental improvement will enable to maintain employment and lengthen the lifetime of the plant until, at least, 2030. Together with the plant that the company launched in the thermal power plant of Aboño – group 2 –, the first launched in Spain, EDP will invest 90 million euros.

The catalytic denitrification plants reduce the emission of nitrogen oxides (NOx) present in the gases coming from the coal combustion in boilers. These gases go through a reactor, in which the nitrogen oxides are transformed into steam and nitrogen, substances which cause no damage to the environment. This way, emissions can be reduced by up to 80 %.

The reactor is the main element in the installation, as it is there, where the reaction between the gases and the solution of ammoniac in water, the reactive used in the process, takes place. The reactor weights around 1 100 tons and is held by a steel structure of 540 tons. It will reach a height of 62 meters.

During the group’s inspection, EDP will adapt the different gas lines in the boiler area in order to connect the reactor and will end the mechanical and electrical installation of the associated equipment, integrating its control with the one of the plant.

EDP is also working on the installation of the two tanks that will be storing the reactive. They are 110 cubic meters each.

Once these works are finished, the launching of the denitrification plant will begin in June. The commercial operation of this plant will entail the ending of the denitrification project that EDP began in November 2014, after its allocation to the consortium formed by TSK and Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems.

After this project, EDP will have invested more than 200 million euros in the last decade in environmental improvements of its generation plants in the region. This investment level, as well as its efficiency in the operation and maintenance of the groups, make EDP plants the most efficient and respectful towards the country’s environment.

Soto 3

The group 3 of the thermal power plant of Soto de Ribera, with a power of 350 MW, became operational in August 1984. Together with groups 1 and 2, currently out of service, they have been the main consumers of the autochthone coal extracted from the Asturian central basin.

Many numbers reveal Soto de Ribera’s importance. In total, it has worked for more than 200 000 hours, in which the energy production exceeds 60 000 GWh.

An aspect to be highlighted regarding the thermal power plant of Soto de Ribera, is its important impact in the Asturian economy. The plant, composed by this group of coal and two of combined cycled, has an annual ordinary exploitation budget of 5.7 million euros, not including the own workforce, between ordinary costs and direct taxes. This budget is mainly executed in Asturias. To this quantity, is to be summed the annual investment, that exceeds the 3.7 million euros annually.

Both with the general inspection and the construction of the denitrification plant, EDP reinforces its commitment as an investor in Asturias, at the same time that it keeps its commitment with the use of the region’s coal for generation, where it employs more than 1 000 people directly, and more than 4 000 indirectly.

EDP

EDP is an energy group, leader in international value creation, innovation and sustainability. It is part of the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes (World and STOXX), and it is moreover leader in world renewable energy.

In Spain, EDP is a model company in the energy market, present in the generation, distribution and commercialization of electric energy, natural gas and services, in which more than 3 million people already trust.

EDP is leader in gas in Cantabria, Murcia and the Basque Country, as well as in Asturias, where it is also model electric operator.