This is the first nuclear power plant of its size built in Europe. In 1994, the year it was commissioned, it had a capacity of 1 MW under standard conditions. However, the latest study, conducted in August 2015, showed that its effective capacity had decreased by 37%.
For all these reasons, the management of Toledo PV proposed to Ingeteam, the current operator and maintainer of the plant, to carry out some revamping work on the installation to restore its power to the original values.
The operation lasted two months and involved dismantling the old panels, which will be managed as electronic waste, and installing new photovoltaic panels in their place. Jinko Smart Modules of 260W were chosen for this purpose. These are high-efficiency modules that feature a new technology that produces 20% more power under unfavorable mismatch conditions caused by shading, dirt, aging, temperature gradients, etc.
Since this is the first time such work has been carried out on a 1 MW plant, the success of this revamp has allowed us to determine, with real and quantifiable data, that the lifespan of a photovoltaic plant is approximately 22 years. Therefore, by replacing the modules with more efficient ones, it is possible to extend the installation's lifespan while optimizing it to perform at its peak, just like on day one.
The plant has an installed peak power of 1 MW and with this change it could produce 1,400 MWh annually, which is equivalent to the consumption of about 350 homes in a year.
The power plant is directly connected to the Unión Fenosa Distribución distribution network via a 15 kV medium-voltage substation. Much of the energy generated in the area is used for agricultural irrigation and distribution to local homes.
More information