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Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Julius Businge | Nalubaale Power Plant has received an upgraded compressed air governor system which will improve the overall plant operations, executives at Eskom Uganda Limited, the operators of the facility said on Sept.25 in a media release.
Company executives said the system is a key Balance of Plant [BOP] auxiliary that ensures reliable production, distribution and supply of compressed air to the turbine governing system.
Compressed air is used to balance hydraulic oil pressure to aid opening of distributor wicket gates that admit water into the turbines.
The project, officials said, was carried out with Ugandan contractors at a cost of Shs500m ($140,000). It replaced an old system that was last upgraded in 1989.
The new system will improve plant reliability because it has been automated to significantly reduce human operational intervention.
Thozama Gangi, the Eskom Uganda managing director said the new system will also extend the lifetime of Nalubaale Power plant while observing high standards of safety.
It will also ensure compliance of the 66 year old plant to environment management standards.
Eskom received and operates under the highest global environmental standards; ISO 14001:2004 (E) Environment Management System which contribute to its zero harm culture goal.
Filbert Kinyanda, the technical director of API Technical Services, the contractors who undertook the project said the newly installed system can self-operate with detection of insufficient air pressure conditions.
Eskom Uganda has so far invested over Shs118billion ($32m) majorly on equipment upgrade with Nalubaale Power Plant taking the bulk of the investment to keep it operating at full capacity, company executives said.
