Power station handover expected by end of the month

Enemalta this afternoon held out the possibility that the power station extension will be handed over from BWSC by the end of the month. The new plant was shut down during testing after a fault in a steam turbine. The turbine was shipped to Britain, repair and reinstalled, but the plant was then shut down once more by BWSC amid disagreement with Enemalta over how commissioning tests should proceed. In statement today, Enemalta said that the final report prepared by BWSC and Dresser Rand, the steam turbine manufacturer, was submitted to Enemalta last Friday."After analysis by Enemalta engineers, who deem it to be substantially clear on the root cause of the failure of the steam strainer and of the damage caused to the steam turbine itself, it has been sent for a detailed review by the third party independent consultant DNV KEMA, engaged by Enemalta." Enemalta said the cause of the steam strainer failure was been clearly identified as being the uncontrolled rotation of the filter element within its housing. This resulted in abrasion and wear on the filter mesh and subsequent structural failure of the strainer. Following this structural failure, parts of the strainer got lodged...