ABB retrofit to boost uptime of Swedish cogeneration plant

Swedish district heating company Mälarenergi has partnered with ABB to upgrade its switchgear with retrofit solutions at its cogeneration plant in Västerås.

Mälarenergi's cogeneration plant in Västerås is one of Sweden's largest, with 98% of all local properties connected to the district heating network. The plant produces 1,800GWh of heat and 700GWh of electricity annually and has been continuously upgraded since the 1960s.

The retrofit was carried out in three stages with customised solutions required for each of the switchgear cabinets.

By modernising its electricity system and upgrading the switchgear, Mälarenergi can avoid unplanned downtime, maintain predictable delivery to its customers and increase safety for both personnel and equipment.

Have you read?
The value of cogeneration in decarbonising Japan
GE’s hydrogen-ready turbines green 1.7GW gas plant in China

According to the company, by replacing Västerås' aging circuit breakers with Emax2 models, the electrical circuits are fully protected and feature new technologies that reduce energy consumption. It also means most of the critical infrastructure has had its lifespan extended, avoiding the carbon emissions associated with manufacturing an entirely new system.

Rolf Bäckström, maintenance engineer at Mälarenergi commented: "This retrofit project is a step in our journey towards zero, that is achieving net-zero emissions of fossil carbon dioxide. The fact that we are doing it together with a supplier who is on the same sustainability journey as Mälarenergi feels extra special.”

Also of interest
Why the journey from digital to smart must include ‘responsible’ AI
Making a material impact: Binning the throwaway culture

Amer Filipovic, project manager for ABB Electrification Sweden business area, explains: “By modernising its electricity system and upgrading the switchgear, Mälarenergi is reducing its total cost of ownership, maximizing the return on investment and avoiding unplanned downtime. Using this method, we've seen some of our customers' facilities reduce equipment operating costs by a third while extending their life cycle by as much as 30 years.”