Czech company supplies equipment to Ukraine for Rivne NPP, and Lithuania transfers a whole CHP plant
27 December 2024 09:42
The Czech company Plzeňská Škoda JS from the ČEZ group has secretly supplied eight new drives for the reactors of the Rivne NPP to Ukraine. This was reported by Suspilne with reference to the Novinky news portal, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports.
According to the spokesman for the engineering company, Karel Samets, these devices ensure stable operation of the reactor and allow its regulation, which will help ensure a stable supply of electricity in Ukraine.
“Due to Russia’s repeated attacks on energy infrastructure, we are only announcing this now, after we have delivered the last cargo to its destination,” explained Karel Samec.
Another company in the group, ÚJV Řež, manufactured and delivered a special cable weighing 13 tons and one hundred and seventy-three meters long. It is intended to reinforce the reactor containment building.
Under the terms of the contract, Škoda JS supplied 76 units of storage devices to Rivne NPP. Most of the equipment has already been put into operation. Spare devices are intended for replacement as needed.
ŠKODA JS is currently the only manufacturer in the world that can supply the above-mentioned type of drives to Ukrainian nuclear power plants. Another alternative manufacturer is Russia, according to Novinky.
The company expects to expand cooperation, including with the South Ukrainian NPP. ŠKODA JS is also actively working in connection with the already announced plan to expand the Khmelnytsky NPP.
Lithuania transfers an entire thermal power plant to Ukraine
The New York Times called this project one of the boldest projects in Ukraine. The point is that an entire power plant that once provided heat to half of Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, is being dismantled with the support of the European Union, and its parts are being used to repair several damaged Ukrainian facilities.
According to the Lithuanian energy company Ignitis, which owns the plant, the work began this summer and is still ongoing: more than 300 pieces of equipment are being sent to Ukraine, the exact purpose of which is being kept secret for security reasons.
“We decided to transfer the equipment to Vilnius CHP-3 for a reason. Besides the fact that it will work well in the energy infrastructure of Ukraine, it also meets the needs of the transmission system operator,” said Asta Sungailene, CEO of the Lithuanian company.
According to DW, the transmission operator is Khmelnytskoblenergo.
What else is known about Vilnius CHPP
Vilnius CHPP-3 was the third largest power plant in Lithuania. Its installed thermal capacity was 600 MW and electric capacity was 360 MW.
According to an RBC-Ukraine article, the construction of the facility began in the 1970s on the left bank of the Neris River in the village of Jočeniai, 13 kilometers from the center of the capital. The first unit was installed in the summer of 1983, at the same time as the installation of a 250-meter-high chimney and the construction of a 20,000-ton fuel oil tank were completed. By mid-autumn, most of the work was completed. And December 29, 1983 is officially considered the date of the new CHP plant’s launch.
In the early 2010s, Vilnius CHPP-3 was the plant with the highest emissions in Lithuania. In this regard, plans were announced to shut down the plant. In 2013, it was proposed to reconstruct the plant to use biofuel or household waste, but two years later the government said that the CHP plant was not necessary for Vilnius in terms of heat supply.
As for the equipment, the steam boiler with an intermediate superheater was manufactured by the Taganrog Boiler Plant. The turbine was manufactured by the Leningrad Metal Plant and the turbine generator by the Kharkiv Electrotyazhmash Plant. Accordingly, the equipment of Vilnius CHP-3 should be well known to Ukrainian power engineers.
As Asta Sungailene explained, the plant was shut down in 2015 because operating costs were too high and its units did not significantly affect the stability of the Lithuanian power system.
“Although the plant has been out of operation for nine years, we managed to preserve the equipment, which is fully functional. The plant operated for more than 30 years and provided heat to about half of Vilnius. Now this equipment will contribute to the restoration of infrastructure in Ukraine,” she emphasized.
The assistance package from Ignitis Gamyba includes more than 300 pieces of equipment for Vilnius CHP-3.
