WHEN THE CHIPS ARE UP

DONG Energy is one of the leading energy groups in Northern Europe, engaged in developing, constructing and operating offshore wind farms, generating power and heat from power stations, providing energy to residential and business customers, and producing oil and gas.

Amongst the DONG Energy facilities are Skærbæk Power Station in southern Denmark, established in 1951 and for years operating as a combined gas and oil power plant. The plant, which produces electricity and district heating, is under reconstruction for burning wood chips.

The new construction was a very comprehensive task involving machinery and personnel from almost all BMS departments in Denmark. Periodically, BMS had 12 to 14 cranes at work at a time – and all sizes were represented: from 60 to 750 tonnes cranes and 50 to 220 tonnes truck mounted cranes to a 250 tonnes crawler crane, a 60 metres mobile tower crane, and many riggers.

BMS arrived at the site in August 2015. Throughout the project period the company organized the many very different lifting tasks along with Danish and foreign contractors – from method statements and risk assessments to lifting plans and coordination between all contractors.

There were lots of lifts – from small to very large and complex tandem lifts. They all required planning and timing, since many contractors relied on as few disruptions as possible in connection with the challenges provided by crane lifts. For instance, two huge steam drums were hoisted 45 metres and placed on top of the station’s boilers. Each steam drum, separating water and steam formed in the wood chip boilers, weighs 85 tonnes and is 18 metres long. They have a diameter of two metres, are built of 10 cm thick steel – and were lifted into place by a 750 tonnes crane.

BMS had a supervisor on the site throughout the construction period, among other things in order to present each planned lift on a daily coordination meeting with the contractors and the DONG Energy management. Naturally, experienced crane operators heavily focused on safety were performing all lifts.