Emerson quickly restores plant controls to help Boryeong Thermal Power Plant units return to service after fire

Boryeong

Following a fire at the Boryeong Thermal Power Plant, Emerson responded quickly, helping units return to service less than four months after the fire.

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Fast response and strong customer support help South Korea’s largest thermal power plant alleviate concerns about a summer power shortage

PITTSBURGH (December 11, 2012) — On March 15, 2012, a fire broke out at Unit 1 of the Boryeong Thermal Power Plant in South Korea. The 500-MW unit stopped generating electricity, cutting into capacity that was already reduced due to a maintenance outage on Unit 2. The eight-unit, 4,000-MW power plant, owned and operated by Korea Midland Power Company (KOMIPO), generates 8 percent of the country’s electricity, making it imperative that the units be up and running in time to meet the summer months’ increased electricity demand.

Emerson’s ability to quickly replace the damaged control system – and extend its reach to other parts of the plant -- played a key role in meeting the challenge.

“Because several units at our Boryeong plant utilize Emerson’s Ovation™ controls, we already knew the capabilities of this system,” said Yujin Park, engineer, Korea Midland Power Company. “But for this latest project, what really impressed us was how their people went above and beyond to get the job done in an extremely short period of time. Their positive attitude, strong work ethic and coordination with our team helped us bring the units up quickly.” 

Emerson was awarded the contract to replace the controls on April 10, 2012, and immediately began working with KOMIPO to develop a rapid response plan that would return the units to service in the desired timeframe. Emerson assembled an emergency team to begin a comprehensive engineering, implementation and testing effort not only to recover the original system configurations, but also to extend the Ovation system to applications previously utilizing other controls. With a single control platform, KOMIPO will have tighter overall control of plant operations and a clearer view of key plant and turbine parameters.

The Emerson team worked 12-plus-hour shifts for 60 consecutive days to replace the controls that directly control each unit’s boiler and turbine, as well as balance of plant equipment and processes. In doing so, Emerson helped KOMIPO minimize losses and return the units to service less than four months after the fire and five days earlier than the original target date, alleviating concerns about a potential summer power shortage in the region.

“This project is just the latest illustration of how we are able to mobilize our global resources to meet the needs of our customers,” said Bob Yeager, president of Emerson Process Management’s Power & Water Solutions. “It is this type of responsiveness and customer support that has earned Emerson such a strong reputation among power generators worldwide.”

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Emerson (NYSE: EMR) is a global technology and software company providing innovative solutions for the world’s essential industries. Through its leading automation portfolio, including its majority stake in AspenTech, Emerson helps hybrid, process and discrete manufacturers optimize operations, protect personnel, reduce emissions and achieve their sustainability goals. For more information, visit Emerson.com.

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