ABB's $26-million power-plant automation

Staff -- Control Engineering, 3/1/2006

Zurich, Switzerland—System integration is part of a $26 million contract for Switzerland-based ABB to automate a new coal-fired power station at Torrevaldaliga Nord at Civitavecchia, Italy (near Rome). The award was made by engineering-procurement-construct (EPC) contractor Enelpower to supply a DCS (distributed control system) to convert a heavy-fuel-oil power plant to advanced control systems so that it can be converted to burn coal cleanly. The project is parent company Enel SpA's first large investment in clean coal technology—to balance its power plants' fuel mixes while protecting the environment.

Project scope includes: design, supply, assembly, and commissioning of automation components and instruments, supervision, control and protection of the entire power station—including critical boiler and filter systems. Industrial IT Extended Automation System-800xA technology will be used; additionally, ABB will supply medium-voltage switchgear, SCADA, and a protection system.

Conversion includes installation of three coal-burning units, totaling 1,980 MW when they all become operational at year-end 2008. Advanced emissions controls include: de-NO_x; de-SO_x; fabric-filter systems—to dampen particulates; and enclosed coal unloading, transport, and storage systems.