OREANDA-NEWS. On 03 July 2009 was announced, that OJSC Volga TGC intensively introduces the best practice technologies focused not only on enhancement of efficiency and reliability of power supply but also on harmonization of interaction between power facilities and the environment.

According to the company's Environmental Policy, in 2008-2010 Volga TGC plans to implement about 30 projects on sustainable use of natural resources, effective waste management, reduction of air emissions and energy efficiency improvement of its own production.

The most relevant environmental projects implemented by the company include rolling out a "reverse osmosis" unit at Samara SDPP. It delivered a one-quarter reduction of chemicals used to remove salts and other impurities from the water supplied to heating networks. The secret in the usage of modern solutions developed on the basis of nanotechnologies. The major element of the unit is a special membrane with micropores which keeps bigger salt particulates out and passes through only water molecules. The introduction of the "reverse osmosis" technology is the first step towards disuse of chemicals at Samara SDPP.

In early 2009 a boiler unit was also rolled out at Saratov SDPP. Its air emissions in respect to all substances are lower than the maximum allowable concentrations. The boiler is equipped with a flue gas recirculation system which reduces high temperature of combustion products and provides additional significant reduction of nitrogen oxide emissions from any fuel combustion. When accumulated these hazardous substances may contribute to acid rains. To sum it up, while usual boiler units complying with the toughest ecological standards produce emissions with nitrogen oxide concentration of up to 255 mg/m3, the new boiler brings this parameter down to the maximum of 125 mg/m3. Moreover, the new equipment allows 5% reduction in main fuel consumption - natural gas, which not only contributes to the improvement of the ecological situation in Saratov but also increases economic efficiency of power generation at the plant.

Apart from the projects mentioned above, systematic work on introduction of automated gas analyzers is carried out at the heat and power plants of Volga TGC and its subdivision - Orenburg TGC. This equipment allows complete elimination of uncontrolled emissions of hazardous substances into the environment. Besides, the company performs the changeover to electronic equipment for controlling the rotational speed of electric motors of mechanisms at its power plants, which reduces specific fuel consumption per unit of production. Start-up and adjustment works are systematically carried out at all the HPPs, during which all boiler units are optimized to respective combustion profile to minimize emissions from smokestacks.