Spanish utility company Endesa has begun a €275 million plant upgrade and conversion of a coal-fired power station. The conversion is the second unit at the 1,470 MW plant to switch to imported coal instead of a mixture of local lignite and sub-bituminous coal.
Parts of the boiler and the turbine at the As Pontes plant will be replaced, extending its life by 25 years. The facility is scheduled to come on stream at the end of 2007.
Duro Felguera will be responsible for the work on the boiler, Alstom, will work on the precipitator and Graver will convert the ash system.
The first 369 MW unit was converted in the first half of 2005, similar improvements in the two remaining generating units are planned each year until 2008.