Vasilikos Power Station
Encyclopedia
Vasilikos Power Station is the newest power plant of Electricity Authority of Cyprus
. Located between Larnaca
and Limassol
and with an installed capacity of 640MW, it was still under development prior to the Evangelos Florakis Naval Base explosion
of 11 July 2011.
The first phase came online in the early 2000s and consists of two ABB steam turbogenerators each with a capacity of 127MW and a gas turbine at 36MW. Steam was produced in heavy fuel oil fired boilers made by Austrian Energy and Environment. The boilers design allowed conversion to coal firing because they were planned only a few years after the first Gulf War
that created fears of oil shortages, but eventually this option was not exercised.
The second phase consists of a single steam turbogenerator at 130MW that came online in 2005. The boiler for this was supplied by Ansaldo
and also burnt heavy fuel oil. This was not convertible to coal burning and so it was physically smaller than the other two units.
The Authority decided on the use of combined cycle
technology for the fourth unit of the plant. It consists of two gas turbines (GE) combined with one steam turbogenerator. The capacity of this unit reaches 220 MW. The unit came online using diesel fuel as a stopgap until a gas terminal was built in Cyprus. A fifth unit, identical to the fourth one was under construction and the tests of the gas turbines were completed prior to the explosion in the adjacent naval base. This would have ultimately increased the capacity of the plant to 860MW.
The chimney of the power station is 138m high and and is the second tallest structure in Cyprus.
The explosion that severely damaged the power station was heard up to 50 km (30 mi apx) away and is believed to have involved at least 2,000 tonnes of munitions. With the exception of the gas turbine, all other generators are currently offline. It is expected that Unit 5 will be commissioned in Spring 2012 to be followed by recommissioning of Unit 4 in Summer 2012 and Units 1-3 in Summer 2013. For now, approximately 70MW of rented mobile generators are located at the station.
Electricity Authority of Cyprus
The Electricity Authority of Cyprus , whose head office is located in Strovolos, currently holds a near monopoly on electricity generation in Cyprus...
. Located between Larnaca
Larnaca
Larnaca, is the third largest city on the southern coast of Cyprus after Nicosia and Limassol. It has a population of 72,000 and is the island's second largest commercial port and an important tourist resort...
and Limassol
Limassol
Limassol is the second-largest city in Cyprus, with a population of 228,000 . It is the largest city in geographical size, and the biggest municipality on the island. The city is located on Akrotiri Bay, on the island's southern coast and it is the capital of Limassol District.Limassol is the...
and with an installed capacity of 640MW, it was still under development prior to the Evangelos Florakis Naval Base explosion
Evangelos Florakis Naval Base explosion
The Evangelos Florakis Naval Base explosion was the worst peacetime military accident ever recorded in Cyprus. The incident occurred on 11 July 2011, when 98 containers of explosives that were being stored for 2½ years in the sun on the Evangelos Florakis Naval Base near Zygi self-detonated.The...
of 11 July 2011.
The first phase came online in the early 2000s and consists of two ABB steam turbogenerators each with a capacity of 127MW and a gas turbine at 36MW. Steam was produced in heavy fuel oil fired boilers made by Austrian Energy and Environment. The boilers design allowed conversion to coal firing because they were planned only a few years after the first Gulf War
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
that created fears of oil shortages, but eventually this option was not exercised.
The second phase consists of a single steam turbogenerator at 130MW that came online in 2005. The boiler for this was supplied by Ansaldo
Gio. Ansaldo & C.
Ansaldo was one of Italy's oldest and most important engineering companies, existing for 140 years from 1853 to 1993.-From foundation to World War I:...
and also burnt heavy fuel oil. This was not convertible to coal burning and so it was physically smaller than the other two units.
The Authority decided on the use of combined cycle
Combined cycle
In electric power generation a combined cycle is an assembly of heat engines that work in tandem off the same source of heat, converting it into mechanical energy, which in turn usually drives electrical generators...
technology for the fourth unit of the plant. It consists of two gas turbines (GE) combined with one steam turbogenerator. The capacity of this unit reaches 220 MW. The unit came online using diesel fuel as a stopgap until a gas terminal was built in Cyprus. A fifth unit, identical to the fourth one was under construction and the tests of the gas turbines were completed prior to the explosion in the adjacent naval base. This would have ultimately increased the capacity of the plant to 860MW.
The chimney of the power station is 138m high and and is the second tallest structure in Cyprus.
The explosion that severely damaged the power station was heard up to 50 km (30 mi apx) away and is believed to have involved at least 2,000 tonnes of munitions. With the exception of the gas turbine, all other generators are currently offline. It is expected that Unit 5 will be commissioned in Spring 2012 to be followed by recommissioning of Unit 4 in Summer 2012 and Units 1-3 in Summer 2013. For now, approximately 70MW of rented mobile generators are located at the station.