Speed up the transition of Vladivostok TETs-2 from coal to gas - Shuvalov
VLADIVOSTOK. Nov 28 (Interfax) - Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov has told OJSC RusHydro , which operates the majority of Russia's hydroelectric power plants, to speed up the Vladivostok Combined Heat And Power Plant (TETs) #2 (or VTETs-2) from coal to gas.
A statement from Shuvalov's office says he visited VTETs-2 during a working trip to Primorye Territory and was dissatisfied with the pace of its modernization and transfer to gas.
It says the reconstruction project is part of the federal target program 'Economic and Social Development of the Far East and Trans-Baikal before 2013'. In accordance with the investment program, four TETs boilers are now operating on gas, and in 2012 another several will be reconstructed, and full transition to gas is planned for October of 2013.
"That is too long! It means that until the second half of 2013 people will be breathing soot. Everything possible needs to be done so that all boilers are transitioned to gas as quickly as possible. And the Asian-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit here has nothing to do with it, it is necessary to do for city-dwellers," Shuvalov is quoted as saying.
VTETs-2 representatives have said that at the heat and power units that have to meet their heating load in tandem with the reconstruction this is not possible to do.
"You put filters on working pipes, so as to not to poison the air. You have a new shareholder, RusHydro . Having attracted its financial possibilities, it is necessary to complete the full transition of VTETs-2 next year," Shuvalov said.
Furthermore, he said, the reconstruction done little answers to modern technologies. "The new VTETs-2 shareholder will have to equip aggregates that will be working with the new gas-to-steam technologies. It is important to maintain the heating load," he said.
Shuvalov's office said the transition of VTETs-2 to gas will make it possible to improve the environment in the city. At present, the facility puts out seven times the established standard for harmful emissions.
The TETs is operated by OJSC Far East Generating Company , which is owned by OJSC Far East Energy Company . OJSC RusHydro , which operates the majority of Russia's hydroelectric power plants, owns 51.03% of the stock in the latter.