AES Huntington Beach Generating Station - $130 Million
PMSI is the prime mechanical contractor for the complete rehabilitation and construction of units 3 & 4 of the AES Huntington Beach Generating Station that were taken out of service in 1995.
The project, valued at $130 million, is being constructed under emergency authorization by the California Energy Commission for completion to meet peak power demand this summer. More than 600 men and women will be employed during the intensive, 90-day construction lifespan of the project, working up to 20 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Reconstruction of the twin 225 megawatt once through sub critical units will require replacement of all of the existing internal furnace and infrastructure. After thorough analysis of all equipment in the two units, PMSI will rehabilitate, rebuild, and replace portions while simultaneously constructing major new components, i.e. SCR. The units are being designed and retrofitted with the most effective emission removal systems ever installed on utility boilers.
The project consists of five major elements:
1. demolition/reconstruction of the steam boilers and condensers;
2. rebuilding two turbine generators;
3. engineering/process design and installation of a modern air pollution control system with Urea to ammonia feed system;
4. replacing and repairing piping and valves;
5. rebuilding the auxiliary systems that support all generation operations including new air compressors, distribution system, and new state of the art digital control systems including Low NOx burner management.
Steam Boilers/Condenser
More than 2,875 tons of boiler furnace pressure components and new reheaters, air preheaters, new air and flue gas ducting, all new high energy pressure piping, control dampers and expansion joints will be rebuilt or replaced, all delivered in 3-1/2 months from purchase order date. New Low NOx gas-fired burners will be installed that will mix and burn natural gas for maximum efficiency and reduced emissions. PMSI will replace 28,000 tubes in the twin condensers and repair the 45,000 gallons-per-minute water pumps that bring ocean water to the plant for cooling. Retube and repair all feedwater heaters and increase cooling capacity by revamping two cooling water-bearing exchangers.
Turbine Generators
The two 225-megawatt cross-compound steam turbine generators, one GE and one Westinghouse, will be totally disassembled, inspected, then overhauled or completely rebuilt. Included are all stationary and rotating steam path parts, new operating controls, rotor blade repair, steam and control valving, stationary and rotating components, new voltage excitation controls and power stabilizer system, erosion shield installation, NTD tests, specialty inspections and final balancing.
Emission Control System
Several advanced technologies will be used on the project (designed internally by PMSI Engineering and Process Departments) that will substantially reduce air pollution from the plant. The selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system, including the oxidation catalyst supplied by Cormetech, is designed for 95% removal efficiency, reducing nitrogen oxide and carbon monoxide emission to less than 5 parts per million (ppm). When combined with the sophisticated new burner technology, airflow and temperature controls being added to the boiler, the Huntington Beach plant will be the cleanest fossil fuel steam generation plants in the world. As an additional environmental safeguard, ammonia used in the air pollution control system will be produced on site using dry urea (a fertilizer), eliminating the need to transport or store liquid ammonia at the plant.
Pipes and Valves
More than 250,000 lineal feet of piping will be inspected and replaced where necessary. 50,000 feet of high-pressure piping will be removed, redesigned, fabricated on-site and reinstalled. Additionally, some 1,000 manual valves, as well as diaphragm, piston and motor operated control valves, will be rebuilt or replaced. All major steam relieve valves will be replaced with new equipment.
Auxiliary and Control Systems
The entire auxiliary support infrastructure for the plant - water, fuel, maintenance, controls, fire suppression - will be tested, overhauled, upgraded or replaced by PMSI. Additionally, a new solid-state internal electrical system will be installed, and new controls to operate the boiler and turbines will be consolidated into a single central plant control room. This work being done by ELC Construction.
The success of the AES Huntington Beach Generating Station project will require tremendous discipline to coordinate the virtually simultaneous rebuilding and new construction of the twin generating units, scheduling of hundreds of employees, as well as the logistical challenge of ordering, transporting and storing tons of new equipment while overseeing the refurbishment of existing equipment.
To achieve this goal on time, on budget, and in an atmosphere of unconditional insistence on a safe workplace, PMSI has assembled a team of veteran engineering and construction professionals who have a combined 210 years of hands-on experience: Jerry Johansen, Project Director; Jerry Heinsohn, Boiler Superintendent; Ed Miller, Piping Manager; Farrokh Ghoreishi, SCR Process Manager; Larry Johnson, SCR Construction Manager; Don Swindle, Turbine Manager; Robert Reichert, Safety Manager; Mike Ali, QA/QC Manager
Payment Terms
A combination of highly favorable payment terms arranged with the cooperation of AES, and the efficiency of PMSI's Purchasing Department have resulted in the most rapid delivery of material in PMSI's history of outage and repair projects. Alstom Power, B&W, BendTec, Cormetech, GE, Elliott Co., TEI, Thorpe, Aluma Systems, Thomason Mechanical, Van Leeuwen-Wilson and Westinghouse, and their key personnel have all provided exceptional delivery times and exhibited the highest commitment to keeping this project on schedule. No vendor has missed a delivery date. No vendor has been late receiving a payment.
Our Company
Powerplant Maintenance Specialists, Inc. (PMSI) provides comprehensive services for electrical generation projects throughout the United States. Located in California, PMSI is privately owned and has been in business for nearly 20 years. PMSI is staffed by a hand-selected team of motivated, highly experienced senior executives who can mobilize equally talented field employees for projects requiring consulting, design, engineering, procurement, construction, rehabilitation or repair. PMSI can accomplish virtually all critical path items on site to insure that deadlines are met.
Summary
AES Huntington Beach units 3 & 4 are generally regarded in the industry as the fastest, most massive rebuild of 450 megawatts in the history of U.S. power plants. The schedule has never been attempted by anyone before. The SCR units designed by PMSI will be the cleanest thermal boilers in the world.