The company Alpiq Suisse is owner of the combined gas power plant Csepel II, which is located on the bank of the Danube in Budapest. Built in 2000, Csepel II was the first thermal power plant in Hungary financed by private capital. The plant capacity is 403 MW and an average production of 992 GWh per year, covering about six percent of the country’s need for energy.
The plant provides heat for the Hungarian industrial plants, but also for 19,500 flats in the southern part of Budapest. Csepel Group also sells natural gas and provides services in the field of energy.
Alpiq Csepel signed a three-year contract for equipment maintenance in 2012th with the Hungarian branch of Alstom (Alstom Thermal Services). Alstom performed the verification of two gas turbine, steam turbine and three generators in 2012th, the inspection of two gas turbines in 2014th, while the main overhaul of total rotating equipment is planned in 2015th.
Over the past year, Csepel power plant was modernized, by which was increased its capacity. Technical and technological changes enable that the power plant, in cases of unexpected demand, may increase, or if necessary, reduce performance within a few minutes. The possibility of plant control is substantial, considering that the energy store is very difficult, so that energy consumption and production must be well balanced.
The contract for the development, worth more than 57 MEUR, was signed last year in December, which will increase the competitiveness and efficiency of district heating in Budapest, by upgrading and expanding the capacity of the power plant Csepel II.
Upon completion of the project in heating season 2017/2018, heat production will be increased from 145 to 245 megawatts. Thus will be provided a convenient heating for 300,000 flats, by which will be achieved two objectives – cheap heating and connection of new users.
The public city company for district heating Fotav will take over the part of the investment of 50 MEUR, therewith that half of this amount will be donation of the European Union. Alpiq will invest 9 MEUR in the project while more than 13 MEUR will be invested in projects related to environmental protection.
