A damaged turbine at the Delimara power station extension has been repaired in the UK and work on its re-installation will start this week, Enemalta said today. Fresh tests will begin at the end of the month, far earlier that the worse-case scenario of six months, mentioned two weeks ago.

The turbine was dismantled and shipped to the UK for inspection and repair after a strainer came loose and damaged it. The government opted to stop all testing of the new power plant while the repairs were carried out, and it refused to take-over the plant from contractor BWSC until  fresh tests of the whole plant were made.

The turbine being inspected.

In an update this morning, Enemalta said that it had insisted that the turbine should be inspected and repaired with the utmost urgency.  

It reported that BWSC and the turbine manufacturers have:

• Carried out an inspection of all parts including Non Destructive Testing.

• Sent the broken rotor blade to an independent specialist laboratory in the UK for further examination and detailed fracture analysis.

• Repaired the damaged rotor and the stator. These have been shipped and are expected to arrive at the Delimara Power Station this Wednesday.

• Carried out repair works on the steam chest inlet nozzle, which works are also very advanced and delivery to the Delimara Power Station is expected next week. 

• Carried repair works on the steam turbine control and stop valve, with delivery to the Delimara Power Station expected next week.

"From the investigations carried out so far, indications are that the blade fracture on the rotor was caused by the impact of a piece of metal from the broken steam strainer. The cause of the failure of the strainer is still being investigated," Enemalta said.

"Specialised external consultants are being engaged by Enemalta to assist its engineers in carrying out a critical review of the report of the analysis on the broken rotor blade and the full damage report by the manufacturer including the root cause of the failure of the strainer.

"Works to reassemble the steam turbine will commence this week, immediately after the delivery of the rotor and stator to Delimara.

"It is expected that the steam turbine will be ready for operation around the last week of November when the performance testing programme will recommence"

Enemalta said that it will be taking over the Delimara extension only after the root cause of the failure of the strainer has been identified and addressed to its satisfaction and the satisfactory completion of the performance testing.