MOTHER NATURE HAS NO BAD WEATHER

As weather forecasters consult each other to conclude how cold the coming winter is going to be, public utilities are finalizing preparations for the advent of the cold season. 

They have pledged to fulfill their task with precision this year, regardless of the "degree" of the cold weather. Will these promises "warm up" the homes of Azerbaijanis, eliminating their problems with blackouts and interruptions in gas supply and heating? We will know the first answers to these questions as soon as November 15, when the fall and winter heating season officially begins for the country's utilities.

It is efficient and cost-effective 

Unfortunately, for many in Azerbaijan the term "household" is still literally associated with electric and gas heaters, split AC, and, in the worst case-scenario, self-made stoves operating on firewood.

Naturally, all these conveniences are quite expensive, and given the projected potential hikes in utilities fees, the upcoming fall and winter season is deemed by some of the local population as quite a depressing time of the year.

As is known, most of the consumers live in multi-storied residential buildings. During the reconstruction of obsolete buildings and the construction of new ones, certainly, the issue of creating an efficient and cost-effective heating system arises.

In this case, a centralized heating system could be considered more affordable, as this is the best choice for providing heat to large residential blocks, cities, settlements and industrial enterprises. The sources of heat in this case include thermal power stations or large boiler rooms with a high coefficient of performance, which properly supply and distribute the required amount of heat across networks.

If we look at history, it is evident that attempts to set up centralized heating for city blocks were undertaken in numerous countries of the world as early as in the 19th century. These endeavors were due to both the emerged necessity and the opportunities for technological advances. Everything is rational: it is easier to service a single large boiler, set up a single chimney, and so forth. As soon power distribution networks and quite powerful and reliable pumps that could pump a large bulk of hot water became available, major centralized heating networks appeared.

Broad development of the centralized heating system occurred in Azerbaijan when it was part of the USSR.

However, just like nearly the rest of the utilities system, after the Soviet collapse in the early 1990s the country's centralized heating system experienced a recession.

The poor condition of the heat distribution infrastructure and obsolete boiler rooms left households without heat. As a result, many residents of multi-storey buildings dismantled the heat radiators and pipes supplying hot water to their homes.

It would be useful to take into account the experience of developed countries when discussing the appropriateness of upgrading and streamlining the existing centralized heating systems or their complete replacement with stand-alone heating facilities and separate heat supply to each apartment. This experience shows that when it comes to the complicated housing and utilities system there are no win-win solutions and it would be wrong to rule out using schemes that have been tested over time and in practice, following the trends of fashion. Denmark could be a graphic example in this respect; after researching the experience of numerous countries the country took as a basis the model that envisions centralized heating networks and enlargement of thermal power plants. This north European country thus achieved high indicators of energy efficiency and improvement of the environmental situation.

New things are long-forgotten old ones 

Though people used to get rid of the outdated heating systems, recently the number of consumers seeking to have the centralized heating system restored has increased. Meanwhile, according to Azeristiliktachizat JSC specialists, installation of such a system must be planned as early as during the stage of designing apartment buildings that are being constructed in Azerbaijan. In doing so, the creation of a stand-alone system in new multi-storey buildings while ensuring suitable conditions for the installation of a centralized heating system is appropriate both from the aesthetic viewpoint and for safety considerations. Currently the creation of centralized heating is a requirement of the present day and an indicator of a high level of services provided by companies in charge of constructing residential buildings.

The practice shows that while using up-to-date equipment and materials, reconstructed centralized heating together with other technical solutions could be a key to the development of new energy-saving technologies. In particular, it allows ensuring uninterrupted heat supply during the heating season and enables people to utilize highly efficient thermal co-generation technologies, which are inaccessible for consumers.

This system envisions simple actions by the consumers, which rules out their involvement in technical servicing, control and supply of fuel, reduces risks for the consumer as compared to individual sources of heating, as well as diminishes the negative environmental impact.

Having done extensive work on restoring the centralized heating system in past years, Azeristiliktachizat OJSC, the only heat supply operator in Azerbaijan, is now ready for November 15, the onset of the 2013/2014 heating season.

In an effort to both prepare for the heating season and develop a centralized heating system in the country, Azeristiliktachizat regularly carries out laying, refurbishment and replacement of heat distribution lines, construction and repair of boiler rooms, as well as construction and repair of pumps. It uses new and up-to-date automated equipment, including foreign-made equipment, which allows reducing gas consumption in the generation of thermal energy. The company is also licensed for and is engaged in manufacturing mobile boiler rooms of the module type, which are very convenient to use.

The JSC's workload aimed at increasing the number of facilities supplied with centralized heating systems is as follows:

Of the total number of residential buildings to be provided with central heating this year 2,780 are located in Baku. There are 328 boiler rooms and 115 heat distribution facilities in the capital.

In addition to the above-mentioned advantages, a central heating system is effective in terms of economic expediency, which is evidenced by the current gas and electricity fees (100 manats per 1,000 cubic meters of gas and 0.06 manats per KWt/hour of electric power).

In a nutshell, though central heating is still a dream for many Baku residents, and the more so for the people living in Azerbaijani regions, it no longer appears to be a formless and unrealizable dream as it was a few years ago. If Azeristiliktachizat succeeds in carrying out the planned workload and keeps up the current pace of operations, "the dream will materialize".

Traditions remain 

Let's go back to the conventional sources of heat in apartments -- electric power and gas. Currently the entities in charge of these sectors have reported that the extensive preparations for the fall and winter season are complete and they are ready for cold weather.

Thus, a source at Azerenergy JSC, which is engaged in the production and distribution of electricity in Azerbaijan, has said there should be no problems with uninterrupted supply of quality electric power to the consumers. The company said all the necessary measures have been taken to prevent potential negative instances both in the generation of electricity and its transportation. 

"The main work underway in the framework of the preparations for the fall and winter season at all (power) stations, substations and transmission lines is currently is being completed," the Azerenergy source added.

In order to ensure rationality in the operation of equipment at power plants, major overhaul and a technical inspection have been carried out. With a view to providing for sustainable and stable operation of power transmission and distribution networks and increasing the level of their operation, work has been done to build new lines, overhaul and maintain transformers and transmission lines.

Also, Bakielektriksabaka JSC, a power supply operator in Baku, continues working to provide uninterrupted and high quality electricity to consumers. In particular, as part of the drawn-up plan of activities and in compliance with the outlined timeframe, maintenance and overhaul of the power networks is underway. For this purpose, new substations are being built and the existing ones upgraded, and equipment malfunctions are being revealed and eliminated. Also, relevant mechanisms are being rendered operational, a stockpile of the necessary materials and spare parts created, etc.

The energy company SOCAR's Azeriqaz Production Association assures that it supplies its customers with gas depending on the necessary bulk of consumption. A source at Azeriqaz said there are no problems with gas supply to the consumers, and regardless of which season of the year it is, the company is ready to ensure the supply of any required bulk of gas.

"Gas supply in the country is, in fact, determined by weather conditions, i.e. gas consumption grows during the fall and winter season, and gas supply to the customers increases accordingly," the Azeriqaz source said.

Regarding the technical preparedness for the upcoming season, Azeriqaz said that the work pertaining to this area of the gas transportation infrastructure and all of the necessary equipment continues and will be completed by November 15.

Referring to the issue of sporadic interruptions in gas supply, the Azeriqaz source said the gas supply restrictions in the districts of Baku and the entire country are due to the work aimed at boosting the level of gas infrastructure development and improving gas supply across Azerbaijani territory. It is worthy of note that as of the end of 2013 the nationwide gasification level is expected to reach 90 percent. 

Thus, everyone is ready. The main thing is to avoid natural force majeure such as frightening weather forecast predicting the coldest winter in Europe in the past 100 years. However, as they say, mother nature has no bad weather, especially if your home is nice and warm.