“Punctual measures have helped improve the capacity of gas units by 1,565 MW and added 464 MW to steam units,” ISNA quoted Esmail Namazi as saying.
“The increase was possible with $15 million in costs. It needs mention that the construction of a new 1,000 MW power plant normally costs $500 million,” Namazi added.
Thermal power plants either use steam or gas turbines or both. Two parameters of altitude and ambient temperature are very effective in output from gas turbines. The higher the altitude and the ambient temperature, the lower the output of the turbine, he noted.
Nominal capacity of a turbine means how much power it generates at ISO Conditions (i.e. sea level), that is the temperature of at 15 degrees Celsius. With the rise of every 10 degrees Celsius compared to the ISO Conditions, turbine output power declines by about 7%.
Although it is not possible to change the altitude parameter, that is where the power plant is located, output power can be improved by cooling the air entering the turbines and reducing the effect of high ambient temperature.
“In recent years we have been able to make up for some of the lost power of plants in summers by cooling the air entering the turbines,” the official said.
Thermal power stations account for 80% of total power generation in Iran and enhancing the efficiency of such infrastructure at regular intervals is the demand of wisdom.
Iran has an installed capacity of 84,000 MW. Thermal units, which either use steam, gas-powered or combined-cycle turbines, account for 66,000 MW of the total output.
So far 123 thermal power plants are operational and Iran is ninth in the world in thermal power generation. The government has said it wants to phase out inefficient power plants, replace ageing infrastructure and improve access to eco-friendly and modern technology.
Annual overhaul operations begin every year in early September and continue until May of the following year.