The ribbon cutting ceremony put into operation a new – almost 2.5 km long – fuel duct line comprising of four pipe branches (DN 200, PN 40) for transport of fuel between the storages Vrbice I and Vrbice II. In parallel with the fuel duct, the required cabling including optical cables is laid.
An interesting point is that the new fuel duct is protected against corrosion in two ways – passively by extruded polyethylene insulation and also actively by cathodic anticorrosive protection. During the execution, the stability of the duct was verified by a stress-test. All components of the pipeline (fittings, flanges etc.) were designed in the same pressure class as the pipeline, i.e. PN40. Maximum working pressure in the pipeline will reach the value of 2,0 MPa, exactly half the value of the nominal pressure of all technological equipment of the fuel duct, which ensures absolute safety of the whole work.
The fuel duct technological control system is operated from the central control room situated at Vrbice II. The new fuel duct is also equipped with substations for each lockable section consisting of armature shafts to transfer the values of pressure and temperature.
The project of reconstruction and construction of the fuel duct Vrbice II was financed by Administration of State Material Reserves from the state budget. The total volume of financial means allocated for this project exceeded the amount of CZK 100 million.