TCO fined for blackout

GosTekhNadzor [State Energy Supervision and Control Committee] under Ministry of Industry and New Technologies, on its website posted the results of the unscheduled audit of Tengizchevroil LLP that followed power outage at company's facilities on January 3.

The audit was fulfilled by the committee's branch in Atyrau.

It was identified that malfunction occurred from a failure in TG-9.1 turbine generator's control system, with a 57MWt load shedding, which then transmitted from general power system to TCO's power networks.

As a  result a flat cable at one of L-154 communication lines caught fire.

TCO dispatcher decided to disconnect the line without seeking the way to load off the excess power.

"Owing to protections the second line unplugged too," reports GosTekhNadzor.

Reportedly, the company's technical personnel failed to examine junction points at flat cables, binders and 110kV overhead cables L-154 and L-155.

At the moment of committee's audit, the power lines dispatcher did not have power incidents response instruction at hand.

Also, existing remote protection devices did not meet the requirements agreed by TCO and KEGOC JSC [national grid company] for emergency and maintenance cases.

Power lines have no automatic protective devices.

TCO's power system is managed by only one person at a time.

As per the audit an administrative violation protocol was compiled based on Article 223 [violation of operating rules approved for power plants and networks]; Article 356 [failure to comply with regulations and other requirements of state control and supervision bodies] of Kazakhstan's code of civil violations.

The articles envisage imposition of penalties on legal entities amounting 200 monthly calculation indexes [T346,200].

"Currently Tengizchevroil is working out corrective actions" concluded GosTekhNadzor.

By Laura SULEIMENOVA