Impact of Condensing Power Plant Parameters on Failure Rates

Condensing power plants account for over 30% of the total installed capacity of Russian power plants. Their accident-free operation is critical to the reliability of the country's electric power industry, and the failure rate of these plants has a direct impact on the reliability of the power supply to consumers. A decrease in the power system's resource adequacy increases the probability of damage to consumers due to a lack of electric power. This study aims to examine the impact of various parameters on the failure rate of condensing power units and to propose strategies for its mitigation. To this end, a research methodology based on correlation and factor analysis was employed, utilizing the sklearn library within the Python programming language. The analysis covered 16 parameters, including technical and economic characteristics of power units and their geographical location. The study focused on condensing power units from the Siberian and Ural regions. The analysis revealed that the type of fuel utilized by the power unit exerts the most significant influence on its failure rate. The analysis indicates that gas condensing power units in Ural experience an average of 2.7 fewer emergency repairs compared to coal condensing power units at the Ural and Siberian regions. In the future, it seems necessary to conduct a similar analysis for power plants with thermal turbines of different types. The findings of these analyses can contribute to the formulation of proposals aimed at enhancing the balance reliability of power systems.