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Las Pailas II geothermal project in Costa Rica reaches 80% completion

Las Pailas II geothermal project in Costa Rica reaches 80% completion Turbine set up at Las Paillas II, Costa Rica (source: ICE)
Alexander Richter 26 Apr 2018

Costa Rica utility ICE reports that construction of its 55 MW Las Paillas II geothermal project has reached 80% completion.

The Las Pailas II Geothermal Project , located in Curubandé de Liberia , province of Guanacaste, has reached 80% of constructive progress. The assembly of the turbine – one of the most important parts of the machine house – is moving at an accelerated pace and already exceeds half of the established schedule.

This turbine, of last generation and manufactured by the Japanese company Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems , is designed to receive the steam coming from the geothermal field and turn it into electricity by means of the coupling with a generator, by means of the “impulse and reaction” technique.

Since March the assembly of the so-called “turbo group” began, which began with the turbine and will continue in May with the generator. Parallel to these two tasks is the installation of the lubrication system.

“We also work on the assembly of the non-condensable gas system, steam inlet pipes, neutralized water, brine drains, oil andfire control . In electrical installation, we continued with the baskets for cables and boards, “explained Didier Ugalde , head of construction of the Project.

Tasks such as the construction of the transmission line, the reinjection systems , the drilling of wells and the assembly of the cooling tower – the first of the country made of fiberglass – have already been completed .

Other works such as the electrical substation, the metal pipes and the separating stations show a sustained progress. The civil work of the powerhouse – rainwater management, sidewalks, ditches and asphalt folder on internal roads – is in the final stage of urbanization.

According to the progress to date, it is estimated to start with the preliminary tests in October. The entry into commercial operation is maintained for the first quarter of 2019.

Drilling for the 55 MW expansion at the original Las Paillas geothermal plant was completed drilling in January this year, as we reported.

Source: AM Costa Rica, Grupo ICE