Auvere power plant repairs will not be completed ahead of schedule

Andres Vainola
Andres Vainola Source: Ken Mürk/ERR

Auvere power plant in Ida-Viru County is currently undergoing six weeks of repairs which will not be completed ahead of schedule, Enefit Power head Andres Vainola said on Thursday. Once completed, the facility will be more reliable.

"No, we don't plan to finish any faster. We think we can finish it in 45 days. The normal annual repair time is 40-45 days," Vainola told ERR on Thursday. "But this time we're doing three things at once. Instead of the usual annual shutdown, we're doing three massive things at the same time."

The construction works focus on annual maintenance and modernization away from using shale oil. Its problematic heat exchangers, which have a high accident rate, will also be replaced. Additionally, the plant's fuel supply systems and new oil refining factory will be connected.

Vainola said the repairs were originally planned for the summer but were pushed back as it was not possible to acquire key parts earlier.

Asked if the four-year-old plant, which is notorious for its breakdowns and has not yet been able to work at full capacity, will become more reliable after the work is completed, he said it is its main goal.

"Yes, absolutely, this is one of our main goals. If we look at past failures, and if we look at the failures that depended on the heat exchangers, then reliability was clearly below 90 percent. And now, in the course of this modernization, we want to replace the heat exchangers. After that, Auvere's accident rate should drop significantly and its reliability should be above 90 percent," said Vainola.

Repair works started on October 3.

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Editor: Mait Ots, Helen Wright

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