Centrenergo re-commissions last power unit damaged by 2013 fire

Power GenCo Centrenergo (CEEN UK) completed on Aug. 20 all the repair work at Vuhlehirsk (Uglegorsk) Thermal Power Plant’s unit #2, the company reported on Aug. 25. The power unit was launched on Aug. 24 and can handle maximum loads, which will improve the integrity of Ukraine’s energy system, the company reported. Ten days ago, Centrenergo estimated the power unit would be commissioned in early September.

Power unit #2 was the most damaged by fire in March 2013, which affected each of the four 300MW coal-fired units at Vuhlehirsk TPP. Three less-damaged units were recommissioned in late 2013 and early 2014.

Alexander Paraschiy: While the power unit was officially activated in the morning of Aug. 24, it could take couple of weeks to test it and better prepare it for the winter heating season. That said, the unit’s commissioning is very timely and might indeed improve the stability of Ukraine’s power system. Importantly, Vuhlehirsk TPP burns hard steam coal, which is widely available in Ukraine, in contrast to the scarce anthracite coal that at least half of Ukraine’s TPPs are dependent on.

Good attempt of Centertnergo management to fully recover Vuhlehirsk TPP, though, does not eliminate the power plant’s core threat – terrorist attacks. The plant is located about 15 km away from the front line in Donbas. It had to be stopped for couple of days in late July and early August due to active shelling, and according to last media repots currently the situation in the vicinity of Vuhlehirsk TPP has been worsening. In fact, Centrenergo’s Vuhlehirsk TPP, as well as DTEK’s Luhansk TPP and Metinvest’s Avdiyivka Coke Plant are the biggest Ukrainian industrial objects on the front line, and thus they are the most obvious targets of terrorists.