10 MWe Solar Thermal Central Receiver Pilot Plant maintenance experience : January 1982-March 1983

Abstract

This report presents a description of the maintenance experience at the 10 MWe Solar Thermal Central Receiver Pilot Plant near Barstow, California, during the period January 1982 through March 1983. The plant systems are briefly described, and statistical data on maintenance orders, labor requirements, and maintenance costs are presented. The data presented have been extracted from Southern California Edison historical maintenance records accumulated at the plant. Pilot plant systems requiring the most maintenance activity are identified so that efforts to reduce plant maintenance costs can be properly identified. The information is analyzed for the purpose of developing a data base for general use during the economic assessment, design, and staff planning of future solar central receiver plants. However, data presented here from the Pilot Plant should not be used for direct scaling of larger power production plants. The number and size of equipment items for larger plants will not scale, the designs will vary, and the Pilot Plant includes special testing and evaluation equipment which would not be necessary in plants built for the sole purpose of power production. Data taken at the Pilot Plant during the early plant startup and operational phase shows an annual maintenance cost of approximatelymore » one perent of the recurring plant capital cost. Similar costs for recent technology steam electric generating plants are estimated to range from 1.5 to 3%. The Pilot Plant maintenance cost will not appear as favorable if based on energy produced during power production due to the small plant size and equipment intensive nature of the plant. The solar-unique systems of the plant required 45% of the total plant maintenance labor and 39% of the total maintenance cost, both percentages being lower than anticipated. « less

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