At 12:48 AM on June 8 local time in Turkey, Unit 2 of the Turkish Soma Project was successfully synchronized for power generation for the first time, with all the system parameters of the unit being normal, all the equipment running steadily and the operation quality being excellent. So far, the two units of the Soma Project have both been successfully synchronized for power generation.

The Soma Project, as an important part of Turkey’s Energy Program of Vision 2023 and it has a significant demonstration effect in local areas since its design coal type is lignite which has abundant reserves in Turkey. Especially under such a background that the Turkish Government started to ban the coal import at the end of 2017, the Soma Project has an increasing significance to Turkey’s energy localization strategy. HEI, as the EPSC Contractor of the Soma Project, mainly undertakes the design, procurement, goods supply, installation guidance and commissioning under the contract.

The Project Team was doing the final confirmation work before Unit 2 was synchronized

After the steam purging of Unit 2 was completed on April 12, HEI’s Soma Project Team periodically convened brief meetings of all the Chinese participants to timely eliminate defects. They repeatedly conducted joint inspection before the unit was started to ensure the unit can be started successfully. They held technical disclose meetings for the start of the whole system. They made an overall plan for the start and synchronization of Unit 2 and various tests. During commissioning of Unit 2, all parties and organizations at the site united as one and sincerely cooperated, which was a full guaranty for the successful synchronization of Unit 2.

The owner highly appreciated and affirmed HEI for the successful synchronization of Unit 2 of the Soma Project. HEI’s Project Team expressed that it would make persistent efforts in realizing the provisional taking over of the two units ahead of schedule.

Since the first half of 2019, the Soma Project Team has constantly overcome many difficulties, spared no effort to promote the project construction progress, and accomplished several major milestones in succession.

On January 4, Unit 1 was successfully synchronized for power generation in its first-time synchronization.

On January 19, Unit 1 passed the local government’s MENR provisional acceptance.

On February 19, the auxiliary steam purging and DCS power receiving work of Unit 2

were completed and the unit officially stepped into the subsystem commissioning stage.

On February 21, Unit 1 operated successfully at full load for the first time.

On April 2, the boiler of Unit 2 was oil fired successfully for the first time,

and officially stepped into the furnace drying and steam purging stage.

On April 12, the steam purging target plate of Boiler 2 was tested and it was proved that

the plate had met the relevant requirements, indicating that steam purging of Boiler 2 had been completed successfully.

On May 31, the whole Unit 2 was ignited and started successfully.