The Increased Electric Power Production from the Thermal Power Stations of Greece Operating with Improved Efficiency

Abstract

The paper discusses the possibility of retrofitting the existing lignite fired thermal power plants in northern Greece using a gas turbine as a topping cycle. The necessity of increasing the electric power of these units arises from the continuous decrease of the fuel quality from its nominal value which results to Unit’s operational load of 250 MW_el instead of 300 MW_el of nominal power.

Several possibilities of gas turbine topping of a lignite fired power plant are evaluated in the paper. The increase of the electric power production and the increased efficiency of the total process together with the required modifications of the existing equipment and the availability of the plant are the main criteria for the evaluation of the proposed alternatives.