40 years of Petrozavodskaya CHPP

On December 21, 2016, it has been 40 years since Petrozavodskaya CHPP was commissioned. Today the power plant, being a part of TGC-1, is one the key facilities of the electric power and heat supply system of the Republic of Karelia. It supplies around one billion kilowatt-hours of energy to the unified power system and nearly two million of gigacalories – to the heat supply grids annually. It is a strategic heat source for Petrazovodsk, the capital of the Republic of Karelia. The plant provides heat to more than 85% of the city's residents and enterprises.

Petrozavodskaya CHPP Construction Project was approved in 1969, in 1971 the construction was started. On December 21, 1976, the first hot water boiler was put into operation, the main building's major parts were built, the first kilometers of the main heat supply grids were constructed. Heat supply to the city started in 1977, electricity supply – in 1978. In 1982 Petrozavodskaya CHPP started operating at full capacity – 280 MW.

Upon commissioning of the power plant in Petrozavodsk over 100 coal boiler stations were shut down, which significantly improved reliability of heat supply and environmental situation in the city.

Transition to gas, an environmentally friendly fuel, in 1996 became an important milestone in the enterprise's development. Petrozavodskaya CHPP was the first enterprise in the Republic of Karelia to refuse from fuel oil. This process solution allowed to significantly reduce hazardous substances emissions to the environment.

         "We constantly update the plant's equipment. Among the most important projects are the following ones: renovation of cooling towers and turbines, construction of accumulator tank for hot water supply, renovation of heating unit, activities on continuous circulation of heating system water in the main heat supply grids in summer. Additionally, from 2008 through present, the main heat supply grids have been renovated," said Alexander Vdovichenko, Director of Petrozavodskaya CHPP.

Reference

TGC-1 is the leading producer and supplier of electricity and heat in the Northwest of Russia. The Company comprises the electric power plants within four entities of the Russian Federation: St. Petersburg, the Republic of Karelia, the Leningrad Region and the Murmansk Region.