Holly Plant Decommissioning Project

Here is your regular scheduled update from the Holly Plant Decommissioning Project Team:

There is more to a power plant than just turbines and boilers.   An operating power plant needs fresh water to condense the steam from the steam turbines.  However, the fresh water is filtered free of Ladybird Lake fish and other debris.  The fish would block the cooling lines and could cause overheating in an operational power plant.   The following images are traveling water screens that rotate and keep the fish, twigs, and other debris from entering the plant.

The first image is a close-up view of the 40 foot screen and motor used to turn the screen mesh.

Traveling Water Screen

Here is the front view of the six traveling water screens that were operational.

Traveling Water Screen

Here is a crane pulling out the last of the water screens.  This metal will be recycled.

Traveling Water Screen

The 40 foot water screen is quite heavy and don’t forget to work as a team to maneuver this large metal screen.

Traveling Water Screen

As you can see the metal screen is quite large and makes all the workers look quite small .. even the 6 ft tall ones.

Traveling Water Screen

The team places the screen directly onto a haul truck to remove out of the plant.

Traveling Water Screen

 Safety is always first.  The workers pay careful attention as the crane places the screen on the haul truck.

Traveling Water Screen

 A job well done by TRC and Austin Energy.  The traveling water screens are on their way to be recycled.  The scaffolding is surrounding the open holes to keep everyone safe.

Traveling Water Screen

Lastly, more images can be found in our image gallery.  Click Here.

Here is your regular scheduled update from the Holly Plant Decommissioning Project Team:

Do you know what it takes to make sure the scaffolding is in place?  This series of pictures will show the whole process of taking the scaffolding inside Holly Unit 3.

 Here you see the scaffolding material inventory on the ground.

Scaffolding Construction on Holly Unit 3

 This is the cage they use to ferry material up to the floor where they need it on Holly Unit 3.   Now, you see why it is mandatory to wear a hard hat on site.

Scaffolding Construction on Holly Unit 3

The actual cage in flight being guided by the worker.

Scaffolding Construction on Holly Unit 3

 As you can see, the worker is tied to the scaffold by a red safety lanyard.

Scaffolding Construction on Holly Unit 3

The worker is standing on an I beam seemingly with no hand rails to hold onto, but he is protected by the red safety lanyard attached to his vest.

Scaffolding Construction on Holly Unit 3

Yes, this is the long flight of stairs that the workers have to climb every day to move the scaffolding.

Scaffolding Construction on Holly Unit 3

Lastly, more images can be found in our image gallery.  Click Here.

Here is your regular scheduled update from the Holly Plant Decommissioning Project Team:

Abatement continues at the Holly Plant and now the team is preparing for asbestos removal from all four steam turbines.  The TRC team has been planning the best way to remove the very heavy steam turbines.   The turbine floor actually has the electric generators and steam turbines for all four Holly Units.

Steam Turbine

 Can you see all four steam turbines in the image below?

Steam Turbine

Holly Unit 1 steam turbine wrapping has begun.

Steam Turbine

 Holly Unit 1 steam turbine being prepped for final abatement.

Steam Turbine

  Holly Unit 2 steam turbine being prepped for final abatement.

Steam Turbine

 Holly Unit 3 steam turbine being prepped for final abatement.

Steam Turbine

 The main turbine crane is getting ready for heavy equipment removal.  They are testing the crane powered from TRC’s portable generator.  The rest of the Holly Plant continues to be turned off.

Steam Turbine - Main Crane

 Lastly, more images can be found in our image gallery.  Click Here.

Here is your regular scheduled update from the Holly Plant Decommissioning Project Team:

Abatement continues on Holly Unit 2.  The team is hard at work prepping all the areas for asbestos removal.  This is critical because we need to mark all the places that contain asbestos.

 In this picture, you can can see where the workers placed special tape with asbestos marking on all the gaskets.

  Did you guess how many workers are prepping the area for asbestos removal?

Holly Unit 2 – Abatement

 There are 5 workers in the photo.

The team has to contain whole areas before starting to remove any asbestos.

Holly Unit 2 – Abatement

 Like a theater curtain falling down, the area is completely sealed before the work begins.

Holly Unit 2 – Abatement

 Follow the red arrow to find the asbestos.

Holly Unit 2 – Abatement

 As you can see, Holly Unit 2 is big both inside and outside.  We’ll be working on abatement and asbestos removal for a few months on Holly Unit 2.

Holly Unit 2 – Abatement

Lastly, more images can be found in our image gallery.  Click Here.