Local Success Stories

Local Success Stories

Romania

#

Name of Example

Location

1

COLTERM Distribution

Timisoara

The Initiative

1. Overview

Established in January 2004 COLTERM SA is the DH company which provides the public heat supply service in the city of Timisoara. The main activity of COLTERM Distribution is the generation, transmission, processing, distribution and supply of heat and operation, maintenance, repair and development of heat networks and installations in boiler plants and substations.

Also, as associated activities, COLTERM is supplying cold water through hydrophore installations (constant pressure water supply equipment) located in 53 heat substations to all buildings exceeding 4 stories.

COLTERM Distribution is providing the management and operation for 112 heat substations and 15 boiler plants.

Heat substations cover 90% of the heat demand of connected consumers, the remaining 10% being provided by the boiler plants.

COLTERM Distribution is managing and operating 2 power plants (CET Center and CET South) that supply primary heat (hot water) for the 112 heat substations. Additionally, COLTERM Distribution supply primary heat (hot water and / or steam) to other 22 industrial heat substations.

2. Consumer structure

COLTERM Distribution covers 75% of the heat demand of the city of Timisoara, providing heat and domestic hot water to a share of 87% of the total population and 13% for other users:

3. Achievements

3.1. Metering

Currently the consumption of constant pressure cold water supply is 100% metered, the domestic hot water supply is 100% metered and the rate for space heating hot water supply is 99%. Note – practically the metering in Timisoara was completed in early 2002.

So far the company has installed and is operating a number of approximately 12,000 meters, of which: 5% meters for constant pressure cold water supply, 52% for domestic hot water supply and 43% heating meters.

3.2. Control of process parameters to provide adjustment:

• Automation of utilities delivery pressure:

Appliances installed allow the variation of electric motor’s RPM by means of frequency converters so that, regardless of consumer needs, to maintain a constant preset supply pressure.

• Automation of the supply temperature of domestic hot water:

The MARCAT system involved allows quantitative setting, resulted in variation of heated water flow entering the primary heat exchangers (through an electro valve), in order to achieve a constant temperature of DHW delivered to the consumer.

3.3. Tele - Dispatch

All items and heating plants are automated and connected by radio to a CENTRAL DISPATCHER.

Automatic archiving system performed all operating parameters and supply the heat substation/boiler plant (pressure, temperature, flow rates, energy), thus making it possible to view a historical log, both in tabular and graphical form.

3.4. Rehabilitation of heat substations/boiler plants and networks

Out of the total number of 127 heat substations/boiler plants in the last years a number of 57 heat substations/boiler plants have been fully upgraded (building, equipments/installations, plant). Due to the growing number of areas served three new facilities were installed: 38 PT A and PT Torac (heat modules supplied with primary heat) and Polona boiler plant (natural gas).

380 new heat exchangers (plate exchangers) are in operation and 141 old type heat exchangers. 500 new Electro pumps and 360 old electro pumps are used.

Also the DH boiler plants are equipped with 22 new automated boilers, 34 upgraded and automated boilers 20 classical boilers.

COLTERM’s secondary heat networks is 265 km long (thermal channel with 4-lines), in which:

Constant pressure water supply (Hydrophore) networks have a length of 18 km, of which 10.4 kilometers (60%) were replaced with polyethylene pipe:

All 127 heat substations/boiler plants are equipped with water fill treatment modules. Additionally, the SE area of the city (area fed mostly from wells), a total of 26 points and thermal power stations were equipped with water softener (average water hardness in Timisoara: 6 grdG).

Three plants are using cogeneration, of which one completed and two under finalization. Each one is equipped with two 0.5 MW reciprocating engines.

Nature of the impact

Heat supply activity in Timisoara.

1. Public heat supply service will gain the character of a "natural monopoly", with all the resulted advantages and disadvantages.

2. The complex issue of the heating cannot be observed without regard to national and European context, and the strategy of Romania's integration in the European structures.

4. The complexity and social nature of the DH activity implies a greater concern for funding.

5. Locally produced heat is recommended to be used by DH system adopted for Timisoara, as a large urban agglomeration.

7. In the short term and even medium the priority no. 1 (due to decreased consumer purchasing power) is to reduce specific consumption, while improving the quality of the service.

8. No matter how efficient is the DH system, urgent investment is needed for restoration of consumers installations and improved thermal insulation of buildings.

9. In the short and medium period, heat supply activity is more a liability than a "business".

Main Barriers

At least in the short term, in Romania heat activity is dependent on a number of factors "disruptive" in which:

• Social character of DH heat supply;

• Trend of unfair competition;

• Populist and even electoral accents in the politicians speeches about DH;

• Costumers difficulties in paying bills

• Legislative restrictions

#

Name of Example

Location

1

CET Govora

Ramnicu Valcea

The Initiative

CET Govora – Cogeneration power plant and DH company which provides the public heat supply service in the city of Ramnicu Valcea.

The power plant of CET Govora is running mainly on lignite. Heat is supplied to industrial consumers and to Ramnicu Valcea DH system

SR EN ISO 9001/2008 - Quality Management System.

EN ISO 14001/2004 - Environmental Management System.

Number of employees/DH branch: 173.

Population served: 82,500 people

Boiler plant operated: 1

Heat substations operated by DH branch: 40

Heat substations operated by users: 39 MPT

Heat capacity: 315 MW

Total number of connected blocks / stairs / apartments (as of 31.12.2009): 806/1765/29.902

Owner Associates supplied: 573

Private houses: 155

Connected companies: 491

Connected public institutions: 73

Length of the primary transport network: 2x29,12 km Dn1000 ÷ Dn100

Length of distribution (secondary) network : 182 km

Heat metering at connection point /block section: 100%

Domestic hot water metering at connection point / block section: 100% / 99%

Recirculation circuits for domestic hot water: 136 branches

Structure of delivered heat (2009):

- Population: 83.5%

- Companies: 6.4%

- Public institutions: 10.1%

Investments during 1999 ÷ 2009 period:

Complete rehabilitation and modernization of 31 heat substations;

Gas fueled boiler plants transformed in heat substations running on primary hot water: 9;

Integral heat metering for heating and domestic hot water consumption: 100%;

Full automation of heat substations. Data transmission network;

Management and operation of heat substations by central dispatch unit.

Replacement of 20% of the distribution network with pre-insulated pipe equipped with moisture detection sensor

Nature of the impact

1999 - 2009 Investment efficiency:

Decreased consumption of electricity by 20%;

Decreased consumption of drinking water for domestic hot water preparation by 30%;

Increased thermal efficiency from 70% ÷ 66 range to 95 ÷ 97% range;

Decreased overall losses from CET to final customers from 42 ÷ 45% range to 28%.

Decrease in production: 34% ( 2009 compared to 1999).

Main Barriers

Lack of individual metering, gas distribution network present in all heat supplied buildings, reduced access to investment funds, important investments needed for mandatory emission mitigation measures at the heat production facility (cogeneration power plant).