Jerzy Trzeszczyński – Pro Novum sp. z o.o.
FAILURES AS A PROBLEM AND A SOURCE OF KNOWLEDGE – A SYSTEMS APPROACH TO FAILURE ANALYSIS
Failures always entail costs associated with lost production and repairs. For dispatchable energy sources, failures—especially recurring ones—reduce availability, thereby diminishing their utility to the National Power System Operator. At the same time, however, failures offer an opportunity to gain knowledge that allows for a better assessment of equipment condition and the technical justification for continued operation—particularly for long-operating units—than standard diagnostic tests do. Maintenance costs can not only limit power generation efficiency but may also render continued operation unviable. Failures in new equipment often provide a unique opportunity to understand its design, potentially enabling reverse engineering. A systems approach to failure analysis organizes information and generates knowledge. Pro Novum has been recommending and offering this type of failure analysis for many years. We are currently automating the process to align failure analysis with current needs and optimize costs, as well as to better integrate it with the regulatory operating modes of power units and biomass co-firing.
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Rafał Kobyłecki – Częstochowa University of Technology
IDENTIFYING THE RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH THE TRANSFORMATION OF POLISH ENERGY SECTOR IN ORDER TO ENSURE THE SECURITY OF ELECTRICITY AND HEAT SUPPLY
This paper presents the key political and economic issues that drive current changes of energy markets in Poland and abroad. It also discusses some selected technical and technological aspects that are the logical consequences of those changes. Furthermore, brief analysis is provided regarding the probable and long-term consequences of the modernization of energy sector from the perspectives of national security and effective asset management.
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Jacek Kocięcki – Urząd Dozoru Technicznego
ACTIVITIES OF THE POLISH OFFICE OF TECHNICAL INSPECTION IN THE POWER GENERATION SECTOR
The presentation will focus on the activities of the Polish Office of Technical Inspection (UDT) carried out for the conventional power generation sector, with particular emphasis on operating coal-fired power units rated at 200+. The principles governing the operation of UDT-accredited laboratories and the performance of special inspections required under technical inspection regulations will be discussed.
The presentation will also cover UDT guidelines, which provide a set of technical standards supporting the safe and efficient operation of power generation equipment, as well as advanced inspection methods developed and implemented by the Central Laboratory of Technical Inspection.
Participants will also learn about possibilities for monitoring equipment operation using the ET Inspektor application and about Fitness-for-Service assessments carried out in accordance with API579-1/ASME FFS-1.
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Jerzy Król - ENEA Elektrownia Połaniec sp. z o.o.
Jerzy Trzeszczyński - Pro Novum sp. z o.o.
MAINTENANCE OF POWER UNITS AT ENEA ELEKTROWNIA POŁANIEC ENSURING COMPLIANCE WITH LEGAL REQUIREMENTS AND ADAPTATION TO NEW OPERATING REGIMES
Upgrades to 200 MW units are aimed at extending their service life, increasing flexibility, and reducing emissions—particularly CO2, to a level of 550 g/kWh. These efforts are accompanied by measures to ensure safety and availability. Overhauls and the associated diagnostic work are designed to maintain the equipment's technical condition and ensure full operational availability. Identifying and mitigating risks associated with new operating regimes is a key aspect of maintaining the technical condition of the units at Enea Elektrownia Połaniec Sp. z o.o.
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Michał Cegielski i Tomasz Sojka - TAURON Wytwarzanie S.A.
CHARACTERISTICS AND SELECTED ISSUES RELATED TO THE IMPLEMENTATION FOR COMMERCIAL OPERATION OF THE NJ910MW UNIT OF THE NOWA JAWORZNO POWER PLANT AT TAURON WYTWARZANIE S.A.
The New Jaworzno Power Plant Unit is the newest and largest generating unit in operation at TAURON Wytwarzanie S.A. The history of its construction dates back to 2014, when key contracts were signed and the investment site was handed over to the contractors. The paper presents the unit’s configuration and its main parameters, including the environmental benefits achieved in comparison with older generating units. The investment timeline is discussed, with a particular focus on the final stage of construction, which involved tuning, commissioning, and gaining operational experience with the unit, as well as the challenges encountered from the perspective of those responsible for asset maintenance. Selected current operational issues and the methods used to address them are also presented.
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Paweł Woszczyk - Towarzystwo Gospodarcze Polskie Elektrownie
ASSESSMENT OF THE TECHNICAL CONDITION OF JWCD POWER UNITS
In order to conduct an objective assessment of the condition of coal-fired generating units, the Generating Assets Team of the Polish Power Industry Association (Towarzystwo Gospodarcze Polskie Elektrownie – TGPE) commenced its work in 2025. Together with the Office of Technical Inspection (Urząd Dozoru Technicznego – UDT), and based on questionnaires completed by power generators, the team assessed the condition of equipment at coal-fired power plants. The assessment covered the pressure equipment subject to UDT supervision and, subsequently, other equipment and installations not subject to UDT supervision. A scoring methodology was established for assessing individual equipment components, and the scores were aggregated to produce an overall assessment of the condition of each unit.
Stage I – Questionnaires concerning the condition of boilers and pipeline
Stage II – Questionnaires concerning the condition of equipment not covered by UDT supervision
During the second stage, 56 generating units were analysed, enabling a direct comparison of assessment profiles for each individual unit. Work on the final version of the report is currently ongoing. Nevertheless, based on the data collected to date, it should be noted that, from a technical perspective, more than 70% of the units are suitable for continued safe operation and provide, or have the potential to provide, a foundation for the stability of the National Power System (KSE).
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Daniel Berek, Dr. Christian Ullrich - vgbe energy e.V.
FROM DAMAGE PATTERN TO ROOT CAUSE: ANALYSIS AND REPAIR OF A HEAT EXCHANGER OF A RENEWABLE POWER PLANTAN
Molten-salt heat exchangers are key components of concentrated solar power plants and are exposed to high thermal and corrosive stresses. This presentation focuses on the investigation of a damage case in such a heat exchanger with the aim of identifying the underlying failure mechanisms and evaluating them in the context of operating conditions. The damage analysis is conducted using a systematic, multi-step approach that includes macroscopic inspection, non-destructive testing methods, and further material investigations in the laboratory. Particular attention is paid to evaluating the interaction of thermomechanical stress, material degradation, and manufacturing-specific influences. This presentation will outline the results of the damage analysis, describe the methodological approach, and discuss strategies for damage remediation and future damage prevention based on these findings.
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Tomasz Sygnarski – Elektrociepłownia Stalowa Wola S.A.
Paweł Gawron – Pro Novum sp. z o.o
COLLABORATIVE EFFORT TO RESOLVE AN OPERATIONAL ISSUE WITH THE HRSG BOILER AT STALOWA WOLA S.A. CHP PLANT
The presentation will highlight the benefits of identifying the root causes of elevated oxide contamination in the water-steam cycle of the combined-cycle unit equipped with a heat recovery steam generator (HRSG) at Elektrociepłownia Stalowa Wola S.A.
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Wojciech Murzynowski, Radosław Stanek – Pro Novum sp. z o.o.
WHEN DAMAGE CANNOT BE REPAIRED
One of the more widespread Pro Novum diagnostic services of an intervention-oriented nature, which has recently been gaining increasing importance, is the conditional operation of damaged components when their repair or replacement is technically impossible and/or economically unjustifiable. This approach makes it possible to ensure the availability of thermal-mechanical equipment and power units while maintaining the safe operation of boiler and turbogenerator components.
Such a service is always preceded by a safety analysis, while supervision of safe operation is carried out in real time and remotely, using a proprietary remote diagnostic supervision system.
The methodology and procedure for assessing the safe operation of damaged components whose repair or replacement is not possible are presented. Selected examples of diagnostic supervision of the conditional operation of boiler and turbogenerator components until their scheduled replacement are also presented.
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Cezary Kolan, Tomasz Bijak– Pro Novum sp. z o.o.
REVITALIZATION OF CAST-STEEL TURBINE COMPONENTS AS PART OF DAMAGE REPAIR AND LIFE EXTENSION
The revitalization of cast-steel turbine components is a technological process comprising stages ranging from the detection and removal of service-induced material discontinuities to heat treatment and final machining; this process ensures structural stability and restores the components' original mechanical properties and required geometric specifications. In many instances, this procedure is essential for performing weld repairs on components made of materials with very low ductility, which would otherwise preclude welding due to the risk of secondary weld cracking. Over the past 25 years, Pro Novum, in collaboration with ZRE Katowice, has revitalized hundreds of turbine components used both domestically and internationally. The effectiveness of this process is evidenced by the absence of technically justified claims, while periodic inspections have revealed no damage requiring workshop-based repairs. This paper presents selected examples of the revitalization of cast-steel turbine components and the results achieved.
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Krzysztof Brunné, Adrian Sobczyszyn, Marcin Solecki - Pro Novum sp. z o.o.
DIRECT AND INDIRECT CAUSES OF FAILURES OF BOILER HEATING SURFACE
The heating surfaces of steam boilers are among the most highly stressed pressure-bearing components. This results from their operating conditions, including exposure to an aggressive flue-gas environment at high temperatures, as well as, frequently, inadequate water quality and high pressure of the working medium. Failures may be caused by various factors acting individually or in combination, including improper operation, poor-quality fuel, inadequate physicochemical parameters of feedwater, installation errors, and others. An increasingly important factor contributing to failures is the more frequent load-following operation of power units. Knowledge gained from post-failure investigations, based on appropriately selected examinations, makes it possible to identify not only the direct but, more importantly, the indirect causes of failures. This is one of the simplest and most cost-effective ways of preventing their recurrence. Immediate repair measures that do not take indirect causes into account do not provide a long-term solution. Instead, they may contribute to further failures and damage on an even larger scale.
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Mariusz Banaszkiewicz, Huascar Lorini, Frank Biesinger
GE Vernova’s experience in identifying damage and pursuing to prevent steam turbine rotor incidents
Damage to steam turbine components, including rotors, can occur both during normal operation and under off-design conditions. In the former case, this is primarily due to the exhaustion of the component's life and the continuous increase in the probability of component failure over the course of service life. When operating under off-design conditions, damage can appear earlier and lead to sudden failures. Steam turbine rotors are among the most heavily loaded turbine components and are subject to wear due to numerous mechanisms such as creep, low- and high-cycle fatigue, erosion, corrosion, fretting, etc. age resulting from some of these, such as creep, can be assessed using computational methods and material testing methods (non-destructive and destructive), while others, such as those caused by erosion or corrosion, can only be reliably assessed based on non-destructive testing. GE Vernova’s approach to helping to ensure reliable operation is based on a program of inspection and maintenance performed cyclically at established intervals, assessment of the service life of critical turbine components, analysis of operating conditions, and the use of fleet experience gained from overhauls, diagnostic tests, fatigue analyses, and life assessments.
© 2026, GE Vernova and/or its Affiliates. All rights reserved.
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Patryk Puławski - CCGT Ostrołęka sp. z o.o.
FOUR TASKS – ONE GOAL
The presentation will describe the implementation of the combined-cycle gas turbine (CCGT) power plant project in Ostrołęka. The Ostrołęka CCGT project is being implemented through four major tasks. These include the provision of water and fuel as well as power evacuation, all supporting the core of the investment – the combined-cycle power unit with a heat recovery steam generator (HRSG). The highly optimized generating unit will provide 745 MWe of capacity, significantly strengthening and stabilizing electricity supply to the Polish power grid.
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Michał Rawecki - Reversesolutions Sp. z o.o.
SEEING FAILURE BEFORE IT HAPPENS – 3D TECHNOLOGIES IN DIAGNOSTICS, SERVICE AND MAINTENANCE
Modern 3D scanning technologies offer a completely new perspective on the diagnostics of equipment and machine components. The presentation will demonstrate how 3D scanners can support damage identification, wear assessment, deformation measurement, and the analysis of geometric changes occurring during operation. Practical examples will show how 3D data can be used to compare the actual condition of a component with technical documentation, a CAD model, or previous measurements, making it possible to detect early warning signs before they develop into a serious failure. Particular attention will be given to the application of 3D scanning in service, overhaul, and maintenance activities in the power generation sector.
The aim of the presentation is to demonstrate that 3D measurement is not merely a quality-control tool, but also a means of predicting potential problems, supporting maintenance decisions, and increasing equipment reliability.
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Grzegorz Łaskawski - EIB SA
INSURANCE AGAINST THE RISK OF EQUIPMENT FAILURE AND BUSINESS INTERRUPTION CAUSED BY FAILURE
Despite advanced diagnostics of machinery and equipment and the use of quality control systems, serious failures of critical machinery and equipment continue to pose a significant risk in the energy sector. The failure of a critical asset can result in major disruptions to business operations and, consequently, significant financial losses. The presentation will outline the benefits of using specialized insurance products, including Machinery Breakdown Insurance and Business Interruption Insurance resulting from machinery breakdown.
It will also cover the types of events covered by the insurance policy, as well as options for extending the standard scope of coverage with additional clauses tailored to the specific nature of operations in the energy sector.
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Krzysztof Brunné, Marcin Błaszczyk, Daniel Pieńkosz - Pro Novum sp. z o.o.
DETECTION AND IDENTIFICATION OF DAMAGE – COMBINING PERSONNEL EXPERTISE WITH NDT EQUIPMENT
The diagnostics of in-service boiler, piping and turbine components requires combining personnel expertise with the capabilities of modern NDT equipment. The presentation covers selected testing methods, the capabilities of modern inspection equipment, and the importance of proper interpretation of indications – from their detection and identification to assessing their significance for the continued operation of the component. Particular attention is given to the combination of different testing methods and the experience of NDT personnel, which improve the reliability of diagnostics and reduce the risk of incorrect assessment of the technical condition.
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Paweł Gawron - Pro Novum sp. z o.o.
PHYSICOCHEMICAL CAUSES OF DAMAGE TO POWER EQUIPMENT
Corrosion problems are an inherent feature of power unit operation, regardless of the operating mode. Corrosion phenomena that have been identified and sufficiently controlled in power units operating under normal conditions take on a new dimension in units operating under intensive load-following conditions and with increased operational flexibility. A significant proportion of equipment component failures originate from the physicochemical conditions of the operating environment and usually occur after a prolonged period of service, remaining latent until they become apparent. The nature of the damage is usually related to the physicochemical conditions during operation, although specific operating conditions of the equipment may introduce factors that complicate a straightforward assessment of the causes of failure. The paper presents a catalogue of equipment component failures associated with the physicochemical conditions of their operation, typical of the current operating conditions of power-generation equipment.