* Speed of restoration depends on availability of spare parts
* 38MW in 2-3 months, 150MW from Unit 5 in 6 months
The EU Civil Protection Team handed in to the Cypriot authorities the report containing its initial assessment of the damage at Vasiliko Power Plant, initially estimated at 700 mln euros.
Representatives of the EUCP team met with Interior Minister Neoklis Sylikiotis and presented him with a copy of the report. Androulla Kaminara, Head of the Represenation of the European Commission in Cyprus and senior officials from the Electricity Authority of Cyprus (EAC) were also present.
The 120-page report identifies the extent of the damage and focuses on the measures that need to be taken as a matter of priority on the road to the eventual restoration of supplies from the Vasiliko plant. Amongst the key issues the report deals with are the extent of structural damage to the buildings, the restoration of the fire protection system and future safety and security. Health and safety experts were part of the EUCP team and they have confirmed that currently there are no health and safety concerns on site.
The presentation of the report concludes the damage assessment phase in which the EUCP Team were involved. The next phase is that of recovery and restoration and it is up to the Cyprus authorities to implement the necessary steps – EU experts will provide further assistance if requested.
The speed of restoration of supplies from Vasiliko is subject to the availability of spare parts. EUCP experts were saying that assuming that the necessary spare parts can be readily sourced and the tendering process is completed within a reasonable time-frame, it should be possible to have from Vasiliko a supply of 38 MW within 2 to 3 months. When Unit 5 is re-activated, this will supply the system with a further 150 MW – but for this to happen the current estimate is that a minimum of 6 months will be required. In terms of cost, the EUCP worst case scenario assessment is that the damage is in the region of 700 mln euros – this figure must be treated as provisional and is expected to change as more data becomes available. It is worth noting that, because they were unable to gain access to parts of the plant, the EUCP team could not test the equipment that survived the blast.
The EUCP team of 15 experts from 8 countries – the biggest of its kind ever deployed by the European Union – arrived in Cyprus almost immediately after the July 11 tragedy. The speed, with which it completed its report, in just two weeks, is primarily a testament to the professionalism and dedication of its members. Things were also speeded up by the use of cutting-edge technology, including small unmanned aircraft that flew over and sometimes inside the damaged buildings and allowed the team to carry out detailed visual inspections that otherwise would not have been possible.
