The preliminary damage as a result of the breakdown at the Bishkek heating and power plant (HPP) amounted to 69,630 million soms. It was announced at a press conference.
According to Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers Bakyt Torobaev, the interdepartmental commission on finding the causes of the accident at the capital’s HPP has completed its work. The Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet presented the results of its work. The technical cause of the breakdown has been established.
«On February 1, at least 11 boiler units and 7 turbine units were in operation at the Bishkek HPP, producing 435 megawatts of power. At 10.57 p.m., on instructions from the shift supervisor of the HPP, boiler unit No. 18 was stopped without agreement with the central dispatch service. On February 2 at 2.45 a.m. the command was given to fire up boiler No. 18 again. From 2.45 a.m. to 2.54 a.m. the panel operator adjusts the air supply and parameters, then opens the gas burner and fires the boiler up. A sharp decrease in pressure in the boiler occurred at 2.58 a.m., which leads to a pop. An explosion occurred at 2.59 a.m. at the mill number 18. After the accident, the entire old unit of the HPP switched off, and hot water parameters began to drop from 70 to 30-40 degrees,» Bakyt Torobaev told.
The Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers also told that in order to maintain the operation of the city’s central heating system, hot water was turned off in a number of small districts. In turn, in order to prevent the heating system from freezing, recirculation was launched.
«From a technical point of view, restoration work began on the same day on the main and auxiliary equipment of the power plant, some work continues today. The HPP is operating in normal mode now, maintaining the specified load and temperature standards. Based on the results of the commission’s work, it was decided to reprimand the Minister of Energy, his deputy was severely reprimanded, and disciplinary measures were taken against the responsible employees of the energy company,» Bakyt Torobaev concluded.
The breakdown occurred at the Bishkek HPP on February 2. Causes of the explosion are not yet known. Five people were injured, three of them were hospitalized. Schools and kindergartens in the capital switched to online classes. The supply of heat and hot water in Bishkek was resumed in full on February 7. On February 9, the republican headquarters announced completion of cleanup work at the facility.
