The Azito Power Plant Add-on Project

Passion and effort in the Ivory Coast - Poor infrastructure and unstable public order and security
Cote d’Ivoire means the Ivory Coast in French. The Azito Power Plant Add-on Project is Hyundai E&C’s first construction site that enabled us to enter the sub-Saharan Africa. However, concerns were raised about the area which remains unstable and has poor infrastructure.
The project was designed to convert from the simple cycle power plant to the combined cycle one consisting of two units of heat recovery steam generator, one unit of steam turbine generator, one unit of air cooled condenser and other mechanical and electrical facilities. Add-on projects are getting popular because power plants can be expanded without additional fuel consumption and power generation costs can be reduced as well.
However, add-on projects require highly advanced technologies in that they involve risks of carrying out construction works within power plants in operation. For successful completion of add-on projects, designs for a number of interfaces should be taken into consideration in the early stage of construction to integrate the existing power plant systems with new ones.

Daunting challenge of meeting the construction schedule
In August 2014, Ebola virus with a fatality rate of almost 90 percent spread fast in West Africa. Horror of contracting the disease caused a complete panic in the construction site, string workers, employees of subcontractors and equipment supervisors.
To fight against the outbreak, we provided accurate information on the Ebola virus for our workers to alleviate the fear. As fortunately the incidence rate in neighboring countries increasingly decreased, we could keep proceeding the construction process without suspension of work.
From the beginning, all the employees at the construction site were dedicated to the timely completion of the project. However, it was not an easy task to meet the schedule in reality.
In the later part of construction, the four-month delay of ACC shipment and design changes led to a delay in the supply of piping equipment. Heavy rain that lasted for one month discontinued work at the construction site.

However, crisis and opportunities always go hand in hand. Amid difficulties, we successfully completed the construction within 27 months on schedule without liquidated damages for construction delay. So far, there were no EPC power plant projects in Africa that met the contract schedule. The Azito Power Plant Project became Hyundai E&C’s first EPC power plant project in Africa that was completed on time without accidents. All this is attributed to the painstaking efforts of Hyundai E&C’s employees at the site. We believe the Azito Power Plant Project will play a significant role in preoccupying the power generation market in the sub-Saharan and South-west Africa.