The Ivanpah concentrating solar power project in the Mojave desert, California, reached a major milestone in the start up process in late February when on the 25th more than one thousand heliostats focused onto the Unit 1 solar receiver, creating the "first flux." Solar flux is when a significant amount of sunlight is reflected from the solar field mirrors. The flux slowly heated the water inside the boiler to just below the point of steam generation. Before first flux, the maximum amount of heliostats aimed at the boiler was between five and ten at a time for heliostat calibration.
Despite cooler winter temperatures in December and January that slowed the progress of construction, work at Ivanpah is reported to have advanced the project to more than 84% completion. Work on the heliostats is now proceeding at the rate of 500 heliostats each day, and by january more than 11 000 assemblies had been completed.
Unit 1 is more than 90% complete. The boiler's evaporator section has been chemically cleaned in preparation for operation. Next, the system will undergo steam blows to clear out any debris inside the pipes so that it does not damage the steam turbine once operational.
Unit 2 is more than 80% complete. In the power block area, the team successfully completed a hydrostatic test of the boiler to confirm the integrity of the boiler by pressurising it with water to check for leaks. Unit 3 is more than 70% complete. In the power block area, the team also completed a hydrostatic test of the boiler in late January and is preparing the boiler's evaporator section for a chemical cleaning.
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