Konakovskaya GRES

Konakovskaya GRES (KGRES) is one of the largest electricity and heat suppliers in the region, located on the Volga River bank (city of Konakovo, Tver region). The installed electric capacity of the power plant equals to 2,520 MW, the heat capacity - 120 Gcal/h. The main fuel is natural gas, backup fuel is fuel oil. The power plant has 8 power units with capacity ranging from 300 to 325 MW.

History of construction

Construction of Konakovskaya GRES began in 1962, and the first power units was already commissioned on January 10, 1965. This date is considered to be the day of establishment of KGRES. The power plant was constructed in two stages: 4 power units with 300 MW turbines at each stage. The installed capacity of each stage is 1,200 MW. In 1966, the fourth power unit of the power plant was put in operation, which marked the completion of the construction of the power plant’s first stage. October 5, 1969, the last eighth power unit was commissioned. Since 1972, the power plant reached the full design capacity of 2,400 MW.

Since late 1960s and up to 1982, Konakovskaya GRES was operating with fuel oil. Since mid-late 1980s, the power plant was transferedtransferred to natural gas and still operates with it. Fuel oil is a backup fuel.

Currently, thanks to the modernization of power units No. 1, 2, 3 and 8.

Konakovskaya GRES today

From 2005 to 2015, Konakovskaya GRES implemented a technical development program, which resulted in increase of the installed capacity of power units No. 1, 2, 3 and 8, decrease of the specific fuel rate and the power plant’s in-house power consumption. Thus, the installed capacity of the power plants reached 2,520 MW. Currently, PJSC Enel Russia produces 0.7% of the total electricity output in Russia.

For the first time in Russia, a full-scale automated process control system (APCS) was introduced at a 300 MW power unit. Its functions are to perform program logic control operations, mechanisms and valves control from the operator workstations, automatic process parameters regulation.

APCS performs process interlocks between mechanisms and valves, provides process protection of the power units when operating on any loads, and ensures effective control of the upgraded equipment. Thanks to the new system, the maximum process automation of the power units was achieved.

In 2011, the first certification audit was carried out at Konakovskaya GRES power plant and it showed conformity of the integrated management system to the requirements of international standards OHSAS 18001:2007 "Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems" and ISO 14001:2004 "Environmental Management System". Since 2011, the external audits were regularly carried out at the power plant and confirmed efficiency of internal processes management.

In 2012, it was decided to clean up the sludge ponds of Konakovskaya GRES. This decision was taken due to changes in legislation, which henceforth obliged to dispose sludge, and, at the same time, it was due to the end of mass use of the fuel oil, which produces sludge after burning. Thus, in 2012, the first sludge pond was cleaned up; and in 2014 - the second one.

One of the major projects, implemented by PJSC Enel Russia (currently EL5-Energo) in 2015, was commissioning of a modern fish protection system at Konakovskaya GRES. Every day the power plant takes in water to cool down the exhaust steam. One powerful pump runs 5 cubic meters per second. Air-bubble stream throws back fish into the safe zone. With the introduction of new technologies, the threat of a negative impact on the fauna of Ivankovskoe water reservoir has been minimized.

The first phase was completed at KGRES in 2012. At present, the second fish protection system was put in operation.

In 2013, the year of the 48th anniversary since the first power units commissioning, Konakovskaya GRES broke the threshold of 500 bln kWh of electricity output.

In autumn 2017, the audit results confirmed the efficiency and controllability of processes of the integrated management system of occupational health (OHSAS 18001:2007), safety, environment (ISO 14001:2004) and quality (ISO 9001:2008). Quality Management System was certified in 2017 for the first time.

In September 2018, together with implementation of new versions of standards ISO 14001:2015 (environment) and ISO 9001:2015 (quality), the transition of the IMS to the risk-based approach was confirmed.

Power plant management

Ilya Novozhilov, Director of Konakovskaya GRES branch of PJSC EL5-Energo.

Evgeny Sychev, Chief Engineer - Deputy Director of Production of Konakovskaya GRES branch of PJSC EL5-Energo.