OREANDA-NEWS.  February 10, 2012. Power Machines OJSC and Smolenskaya Nuclear Power Plant, which is a branch of Rosenergoatom Group OJSC, have signed a contract to upgrade turbogenerator excitation systems at the second power unit of Smolenskaya NPP. 

Under the terms of the contract Power Machines are to design, manufacture and supply excitation system equipment for two turbogenerators with a capacity of 500 MW each, that are part of power unit No. 2 of Smolenskaya NPP. Power Machines are also to perform installation supervision and commissioning works according to the contract. The completion date of manufacturing and delivery of power generating equipment is November 2012.

Upgrading the excitation systems at Smolenskaya NPP Power Machines is further active participation in the program to modernize and reinstate the service-life of the generator equipment installed at Russian nuclear power plants. The program has been adopted by Rosenergoatom Group OJSC. In accordance with the program Power Machines provide upgrading of the operating generators with a capacity up to 1,000 MW and also introduce a set of modern diagnostic systems allowing to monitor the work of the equipment. At the same time service-life of the generators operated at NPPs will be extended by 25 years, their reliability will be improved, their turnaround time (MTBR) will be increased by up to two years and their interval between overhauls – up to six years. As a result the NPPs equipped with 1,000 MW turbogenerators will move to 18-month MTBR.

Power Machines produced and supplied excitation system equipment for turbogenerators of the third and fourth power units at Kurskaya NPP within the framework of the program in 2011. Mounting of the new equipment is scheduled for 2012 and 2013.

At present Power Machines are upgrading the stator and rotor of the second turbogenerator of Smolenskaya NPP to increase thier capacity (previously the Company upgraded the generator at the first power unit of this NPP). Similar upgrading works are being carried out at Kolskaya, Kurskaya and Kalininskaya NPPs now and are to be performed at Leningradskaya, Balakovskaya and Novovoronezhskaya NPPs in the longer term.