Ö China - Coal Mine/Coal Bed Methane Power Plant Design Services and Training

Shanxi Jincheng Anthracite Coal Mining Group Company Limited (JMC) received a grant from USTDA for technical assistance for a 120-megawatt (MW) coalmine/coalbed methane (CMM/CBM) fired power plant design services and training.  The Asian Development Bank (ADB) plans to approve a loan of approximately US$125 million to the People's Republic of China for the Shanxi Coal Mine Methane Demonstration Project at the Sihe Mine.  The project comprises improved production of CMM via in-mine drilling, new CBM production from new surface wells, a 120 MW power plant fired by CMM and CBM, and transmission and distribution systems for commercial, residential, and industrial end users.  The proposed ADB loan will also fund project implementation, including engineering consulting services to finalize design components, supervise construction, monitor key project implementation activities, and provide training for key personnel.

In order to develop this project, the Sihe mine requires additional electricity for its operations.  Based on the projected production of CMM and CBM at the Sihe mine, a 120 MW power plant using the CMM and CBM as fuel is the least-cost alternative for power generation expansion along the power grid in Shanxi Province.  The power produced from the plant would eventually meet about half of JMC's power requirements.  Currently, a prototype CMM-fired power plant is in operation at the site, which is comprised of 4 x 2 MW aero-derivative turbine generator sets.  The objective of the technical assistance is to assist JMC with early design and engineering of the project, as well as assist in monitoring and supervising the implementation of the 120 MW CBM- and CMM-fired power plant over a fourteen month period.    

USTDA No.:                 04-30041B
USTDA Grant:              $502,850
Est. U.S. Exports:        $45 million
Published:                    10/18/04
Closing Date:               11/22/04

Ö Romania - ELCEN Bucharest Combined Heat and Power Plant

USTDA, at the request of SC Electrocentrale Bucuresti SA (ELCEN), is providing funding for a feasibility study to evaluate the technical and economic feasibility of upgrading the control systems at five ELCEN heat and power plants in Bucharest.  ELCEN was founded in 2002 as part of the restructuring of Termoelectrica SA, the state-owned power generating company.  ELCEN owns eight power plants in total, five of which are in the City of Bucharest.  The city's district heating system supplies heat to about 577,000 flats (2,000,000 people) and about 5,230 institutions (hospitals, schools, hotels, etc).  ELCEN's five generating plants represent the most important heat sources for the City of Bucharest.  Each plant provides hot water to the consumers located in its immediate area.  The plants can also provide heat to consumers in other areas through an interconnected steam-piping network.

ELCEN has determined that the company can improve its operating efficiency if it can install a system-wide operating management procedure that will simultaneously optimize the operations of its five Bucharest plants.  This will require the modernization of the control systems at each of the plants, and the installation of special software and controls in a central dispatching office.

In 2002, Termoelectrica obtained a grant from USTDA to perform an "Economical Operation Survey for Thermal Power Plants."  The study focused on Romania's major thermal power stations, which included the largest plant in the ELCEN system, Bucuresti Sud.  Black and Veatch was the U.S. company selected to perform the study with the assistance of the Institute for Studies and Power Engineering (ISPE), a Romanian engineering company.  The study, completed in November of 2003, included an evaluation of the control systems of 28 generating units at 9 power plants.  The control system of each unit involved in the study was examined, and recommendations were made for upgrades and additions to the controls, instrumentation and optimization software at each plant.  Electronic Disk of the Final Report is attached with the Request for Proposals (RFP).

In light of the favorable results of the previous study, ELCEN would like to extend the study to include its five heat and power plants in Bucharest, including Bucuresti Sud.  Although the first study surveyed Bucuresti Sud, ELCEN would like it to be included in this study as well.  ELCEN does not wish to duplicate efforts as they have already upgraded most of the controls at Bucuresti Sud, but would like to implement a centralized system of controls that would coordinate controls for all five plants and optimize the entire operation.  The proposed study would enable ELCEN to simultaneously control the operations at each plant to meet the overall demands for heat and power at the highest net efficiency.  This, in turn, will result in generating electricity and heat at the lowest possible cost.  The proposed study will incorporate the methodology used in the previous study to evaluate the controls needed at the five plants, and develop a comprehensive implementation plan for optimizing their combined operation. 

Note:  In order to fulfill the Terms of Reference (TOR) of this study, a Host Country subcontractor may be necessary.  ELCEN has stated its preference for a Host Country subcontractor, and suggests that ISPE of Romania serve as the Host Country subcontractor for this study.  The Contractor may wish to subcontract with ISPE in order to fulfill the TOR.  The
subcontract should not exceed $44,000 and may be paid by the Contractor from the USTDA Grant Funds.  A notional budget for the subcontract can be found in Annex 6 of the RFP.  The details of the TOR and budget for the Host Country subcontract will be determined during contract negotiations between the Contractor and the selected Host Country subcontractor.  

USTDA No.:                 04-70052A
USTDA Grant:              $220,840
Est. U.S. Exports:        $25 million
Published:                    10/26/04
Closing Date:               11/30/04

 

Indonesia - Airports Safety and Security Assessment

Indonesia has approximately 163 airports (including dirt air strips, general aviation, and heliports) of which 23 are international airports.  The Directorate General of Air Communications (DGAC), Indonesia's top authority for all civil aviation matters, manage the vast majority of these airports.  During the last five years the Government has implemented a liberal airline licensing policy, which has resulted in the growth of the airline market from 2 to 21 licensed carriers.  Competition amongst airlines has caused fares to decrease and air travel to increase.  This drastic rise in business has resulted in a major strain on the airports' ability to provide adequate safety and security provisions for passengers.

The USTDA-funded technical assistance will help to identify and remedy the security and safety weaknesses in Indonesia's airports.  The Contractor will prepare a detailed action plan including specific training requirements for upgrading safety and security, cost estimates, an investment plan, and an implementation schedule for the safety and security measures that will enable Indonesian airports to operate close to or at par with international standards.  The project will help Indonesian airports maintain a safe environment for commercial activity, tourism, regional economic integration and foreign investment.  These factors are critical to the country's sustained growth and development.   

USTDA No.:                 04-30051A
USTDA Grant:              $443,500
Est. U.S. Exports:        $40 million
Published:                    9/24/04
Closing Date:               11/10/04 (Changed from 10/22/04)

Indonesia - Natuna Islands Air Traffic Control and Airspace Management

The Natuna Islands are located in the South China Sea, in the waters northeast of Singapore, and in between the Malaysian peninsula and east Malaysia on the island of Borneo.  In 1973, the authority for air navigation services over the Natuna Islands was delegated to Singapore and Malaysia in accordance with an agreement reached at the International Civil Aviation Organization's Regional Meeting in Honolulu, Hawaii.  Indonesia still holds full authority on the airspace over its territory, despite having contracted part of its airspace management to other sovereign entities.  Malaysia and Singapore charge fees for managing this portion of Indonesia's airspace, but all airspace and overflight charges are returned to Jakarta.

Over time, the intention of the Government of Indonesia is to assume the rights and obligations associated with
managing the airspace above the Natuna Islands.  The issue of transferring the airspace will eventually be resolved through discussions at the political levels between the governments of Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia.  Regardless of the arrangements and agreements that are reached between these three governments, considerable investment will be required to put in place the air traffic control (ATC) systems and equipment to achieve full airspace management capability.  In addition, technical assistance and training will be needed to enhance the technical and human resources capability of Indonesia's air
traffic and airspace management personnel.

The objective of the USTDA-funded technical assistance is to determine the training, technical and financial requirements of the project and recommend a program for its implemen-tation.  This ATC activity would promote the modernization of Indonesia's aviation and transportation infrastructure, which are critical to the commercial and economic development of the country.  The immediate impact of USTDA's assistance to the Directorate General of Air Communications would be Indonesia's full management of its airspace and the improve-ment of local air traffic control capabilities.  Improved aviation safety would be both a short- and long-term product of any USTDA assistance.   

USTDA No.:                 04-30016B
USTDA Grant:              $627,000
Est. U.S. Exports:        $95 million
Published:                    9/24/04
Closing Date:               11/10/04 (Changed from 10/22/04)

 

Indonesia - Airline Computer Reservation Systems

The Directorate General of Air Communications (DGAC) invites submission of qualifications and proposal data from interested U.S. firms, which are qualified on the basis of experience and capability to provide technical assistance to identify and recommend regulations for airline industry use of Computer Reservation Systems (CRSs) in Indonesia.  A CRS allows a subscriber, such as a travel agent, to find flight schedules, airfares, seat availability, and to order and issue tickets.  The system also serves air carriers by providing them with an efficient way of communicating this information to the subscribers of that CRS.  In the industry, different CRSs
compete to provide the best services and most complete information to their fee-based users.

Until just a few years ago, there were only two air carriers operating in Indonesia, Garuda and Merpati (both state-owned).  The passage of the "Autonomy Law 22" in 1999 opened the market to the private sector, resulting in the registration of 19 new airlines.  Although the airline industry is growing rapidly, some regulation will be needed to create a fair market environment until the industry matures.

This USTDA-funded activity will assist DGAC to implement market-oriented reforms to minimize anticompetitive practices.  The establishment of appropriate regulations will help promote competition in Indonesia's airline industry, which first allowed private sector participation in 1999.  In the short term, this project is expected to help generate exports of CRS services, computer software and hardware.  This project will also contribute to the expansion of Indonesia's airline industry.   

USTDA No.:                 04-30047A
USTDA Grant:              $117,000 
Published:                    9/24/04
Closing Date:               11/10/04 (Changed from 10/22/04)

 

Romania - Craiova II Sulfur Dioxide Reduction

SC Complexul Energetic Craiova SA (CEN) is the major
producer of electric power in the city of Craiova, an industrial center in southern Romania.  Until recently the company was part of SA Termoelectrica, the national thermal power generation monopoly.  CEN became an independent state owned enterprise in April 2004.  The company has three major assets:  the Isalnita thermal power plant, the Craiova II combined heat and power plant, and the Ruget open pit lignite mine.  Because both power plants fail to meet specific sulfur dioxide emissions requirements, CEN has decided to rehabilitate each power plant, starting with the Craiova II plant.

The Craiova II power plant has two 150 MW power blocks and eight heat-only boilers.  The plant provides heat for the city's district heating system.  Both of the power blocks at Craiova were designed to meet the prevailing Eastern European emissions standards at the time of their construction in 1987 and 1989.  In 2001, the European Parliament set new limits for emissions from large combustion plants.  Under the new
regulations, plants such as Craiova II must limit sulfur dioxide emissions or achieve a desulfurization rate of at least 94 percent.  Sulfur dioxide emissions from power plants have been linked to respiratory illnesses and acid rain.  Acid rain can have a significant effect on regional agriculture, including loss of crops, diminished water quality, and damage to buildings.

While the Craiova II plant has made pollution upgrades in the past using moderately effective equipment, CEN has determined that in order to remain in operation and meet European Union directives, Craiova II must reduce sulfur dioxide emissions by 94 percent.  This will require the installation of a flue gas desulfurization system.  A flue gas desulfurization unit is an air pollution control process that uses a spray of water and finely ground limestone to remove gaseous pollutants from stack gasses.  When the sulfur dioxide and the limestone combine, they form gypsum, a common mineral that can be used to make wall board or disposed of as a non-hazardous land fill material.  The only obstacle to Craiova's long-term utilization is the absence of a sulfur dioxide removal system.

The purpose of this USTDA-funded feasibility study is to assess the technical and economic aspects of a new flue gas desulfurization unit at the Craiova II combined heat and power plant in southern Romania.  The aim of the terms of reference (TOR) is to develop 1) a conceptual design for the installation of a flue gas desulfurization system; 2) a preliminary environ-mental impact assessment; and 3) an economic and financial analysis.  Note:  In order to fulfill the TOR for this study a local subcontractor may be necessary.  CEN has stated its
preference for a local subcontractor, and suggests that the Institute for Studies and Power Engineering (ISPE) of Romania serve as the local subcontractor for this study.  The Contractor may wish to subcontract with ISPE in order to fulfill the TOR.  The subcontract should not exceed $34,000 and may be paid by the Contractor from USTDA grant funds.  A notional budget for the subcontract is included in Annex 6 of the Request for Proposals.  The details of the TOR and budget for the subcontract will be determined during contract negotiations between the Contractor and the selected subcontractor.   

USTDA No.:                 04-70023B
USTDA Grant:              $415,430
Est. U.S. Exports:        $10-$12 million
Published:                    9/28/04
Closing Date:               11/5/04 (Changed from 10/29/04)