Modernization of existing power plants. Progress in automation and process control/observation

Numerous power plants are now getting on in years, and their owners have to face the question 'New plant or upgrade job ?'. Experience in the past few years has shown that in many cases modernization/upgrading of existing plants is a more favorable option than building a complete new power plant. Advantages like lower capital investment costs and avoidance of licensing risks for new plants constitute important motives for choosing the upgrade option in numerous power plants modernization projects. The defined objective here is to ensure the units' operating capability for another 20 to 25 years, sometimes supplemented by meticulous compliance with current environmental impact legislation. Another cogent argument emerges from automation engineering advances in modern-day control systems which make an effective contribution to meeting upgrading objective like: equipment/material -friendly operation, extended useful lifetime, enhanced plant reliability, enhanced plant availability, improved plant efficiency, optimized staffing levels, enhanced cost-effectiveness, compliance with today's international standards. In this context special attention is paid to the economical aspects and to the increase of plant availability. (author). 6 figs