Gas Turbine Supplier Alert

NTE Energy is developing and plans to construct, own and operate a 200-300 MW natural gas electric generating peaking facility in Nolan County, Texas. The Pecan Creek Energy Center will utilize a Mitsubishi combustion turbine in simple cycle configuration. This highly efficient design and advanced technology provides up to 270 MW in 10 minutes and will be supplied by Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems Americas, Inc. (MHPSA).

This next-generation electric generating technology, fueled by clean burning natural gas, operates as a peaking generation facility, providing quick start ups and efficient power for ERCOT Permits are now being sought with ground breaking slated for late 2014 and commercial operation in mid-2016.

Liberty-Panda has selected much of the Equipment

Gemma-Lane Liberty Partners is a joint venture of Gemma and Lane Construction. Full notice to proceed was received in August 2013. Plant owner: Panda Liberty LLC EPC Gemma Engineering Burns & Roe Gas turbine-Siemens Steam Turbine –Siemens Heat Recovery Steam Generator Vogt.

Energy Investor Funds has a Number of Gas-fired Power Plants

The company is an owner of a number of gas-fired plants from coast to coast. Each of the plants and its size is displayed on an investment map. They range from less than 20 MW to in excess of 500 MW. Click Here For Complete Article Text

Woodridge Energy selects CMI Horizontal HRSG

This plant will use 2 natural circulation horizontal HRSGs supplied by CMI. Project co-owners are Competitive Power Ventures (“CPV”), ArcLight Capital Partners and Toyota Tsusho Corp.

Legal dispute over Salem, MA Power Plant Settled

The developers of a proposed 630 MW natural gas-fired power plant and an environmental group have settled a legal dispute that will allow the $800 million project to proceed. Under terms of the settlement with the Conservation Law Foundation, Footprint Power LLC of Bridgewater, NJ, agreed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions annually over the life of the power plant to meet the goals of a state law aimed at addressing climate change. Footprint also agreed to shut the power plant by the end of 2049. Footprint President Scott Silverstein said the carbon emissions requirements reflected the company’s commitment to the environment. The Conservation Law Foundation called the deal groundbreaking. The 630-MW power plant is replacing the coal-fired Salem Harbor Power Station, which is scheduled to shut down by May 31. The parties have asked the state’s Energy Facilities Siting Board, which oversees the siting of power plants, to approve the settlement. It was unclear when the board might act.

TVA plans to build $1 Billion Combined Cycle Gas-fired Power Plant in Kentucky

The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) is hoping to open a $1 billion gas-fired power plant within three years in western Kentucky to replace its two oldest coal-fired facilities. TVA board members learned this week that construction on the high-efficiency, combined-cycle natural gas-fired power plant will begin later this year, with a targeted completion date of summer 2017. The new facility is expected to have the capacity to generate 1,000 MW of power. TVA spokesman Scott Brooks told The Daily News the new power plant will ensure power stability on the northern end of the energy cooperative’s power grid and meet federal environmental regulatory requirements. “It’s important that we try to maintain capacity,” Brooks said. “This is still an investment in Muhlenberg County and central Kentucky where coal is going to remain an important part of our portfolio. We’re trying to achieve a balance of nuclear, coal, gas and hydro power.” Paradise’s largest coal-fired power plant, Unit 3, will remain in service, generating 1,150 MW of power.

NTE Energy to develop $200 Million Natural Gas-fired Power Plant in Texas

NTE Energy will develop, own and operate the Pecan Creek Energy Center, located near Sweetwater, Nolan County, Texas. The $200 million natural gas-fired power plant will provide electricity to the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT). The Pecan Creek Energy Center will include Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems Americas Inc.’s M501GAC-FAST combustion turbine in simple cycle configuration. The facility has filed its permit applications and its generation interconnection request with ERCOT. The project is expected to begin construction in the fourth quarter 2014 and become operational in 2016.

GE Gas Turbines for LADWP Scattergood Repower

For the Scattergood repowering project near El Segundo, CA, Los Angeles Dept. of Water and Power (LADWP) chose the combination of GE’s advanced heavy-duty and aeroderivative gas turbines, integrated using GE’s modern distributed control system (DCS). This is a pairing of one GE GT-7F.05 gas turbine in a “Rapid Response” combined cycle power island, with two LMS 100 gas turbines into a hybrid power plant, specifically configured to meet LADWP’s unique requirements. The combined technology eliminates the use of ocean water for cooling and requires minimal water use, providing over 500 MW of output using air-cooled condenser technology. Commercial operation of the Scattergood station’s new generating equipment is scheduled to begin by the end of 2015.

California mulls Easing Water Environmental Rules for Gas-fired Power Plants

California, grappling with how to keep the lights on and meet environmental goals after closing the San Onofre nuclear power plant, is considering allowing owners to delay retiring some older gas-fired generators. In an interview on February 4, California Energy Commission Chair Robert Weisenmiller said that the State Water Resources Control Board “has said we can go in and make a case with them for extending the lives of some of these units” and “we’re going to start the discussion with them.” Under rules introduced in California in 2010, there are 19 coastal power plants that must stop using ocean water for cooling, most by 2020. Most are expected to be retired or replaced with newer facilities. Shuka Rastegarpour, an environmental scientist at the state’s Water Resources Control Board, said the once-through cooling policy was written in such a way that the state’s energy agencies can request delays in its implementation if grid reliability becomes an issue.

Projects - World

Dohuk, Kurdistan-Iraq expanded to 1000 MW

In early 2010, MGH was contracted by the Ministry of Electricity (MoE) of the Kurdistan Region to build the Duhok Gas Power Station (DGPS) with a capacity of 500 MW on a BOO basis; the plant is about 35 km north Duhok city. Accordingly, MGH contracted with GE for four units of Frame-9E turbines, each of a 125 MW capacity, with generators and auxiliaries.

In designing the DGPS, MGH took into consideration future expansion and conversion to the combined cycle. In phase 1 of the project, 4 units of Frame-9E turbines were installed by ABB Germany, beginning in March 2011, and MGH will add another two units by mid-2013.

This plant, which is similar to ones in Erbil and Sulaymaniyah is designed to operate on dual gas and diesel/light fuel, is currently running on the latter. This is delivered by truck, stored in tanks, and then treated prior to its use in the turbines; but natural gas pipelines to supply fuel are under construction. Power is transmitted by eight high voltage lines to the Kurdistan region grid through a 132 KV associated switchyard delivered by ABB-Sweden, and power is transferred via eight high tension lines to the national grid in Kurdistan. CMI is furnishing eight vertical HRSGs using natural recirculation for startup in 2015.

Alberta First Nation (Canada) to build 1,000 MW Gas-fired Power Plant

Focus Equities Inc. and the Paul First Nation have announced that they have formally advised the Alberta Electric System Operator (AESO) of their intent to proceed with, and connect the proposed 1,000-MW Great Spirit Power Project to the Alberta grid. The new combined cycle, gas-fired power plant is proposed for the Paul First Nation’s industrial park, with construction of the facility to be completed in 2017. The Paul First Nation industrial park is located approximately 70 kilometers west of Edmonton, just south of the Yellowhead Highway near the hamlet of Duffield.

The Paul First Nation and Focus Equities signed a Memorandum of Understanding on November 2013 to jointly develop this project on the Paul First Nation’s traditional territories. The partners are proceeding with their plan to permit, finance, construct, own and operate the proposed 1,000 MW high-efficiency, combined-cycle power plant, which will be fueled by natural gas.

Paul First Nation Chief Casey Bird stated, “As a Nation we are extremely pleased to join with our partner, Focus Equities, in the development of the Great Spirit Power Project. As a Nation that lives in the shadow of large, aging coal-fired power plants, we are proud to be a part of such an environmentally-friendly project that will provide social, health-related and economic benefits for our people, and other Treaty 6 Nations, at a time when Alberta First Nations are all striving for the greater economic self-sufficiency and diversification, and real economic opportunity for participating First Nations.”

$453 Million Gas-fired Power Plant on Schedule in Ireland

SSE is on schedule for the 460 MW Great Island natural gas combined cycle gas turbine power plant to be fully operational later this year in Wexford, Ireland. The facility will replace the existing 240 MW fuel oil unit at the site. Premier Construction News reports that work is progressing well so far with the installation and commissioning of the 460 MW Mitsubishi Heavy Industries gas power train being completed, as well as the gas and electricity grid connections to the site being underway. $58 million has also been invested in completing a 41 km industrial-grade gas pipeline from Bawnlusk, Co. Kilkenny to the site, through partnership with state-owned Gaslink and Bord Gais Networks. The Great Island CCGT is the single largest capital project in power generation that SSE is currently developing in either the UK or Ireland.

Yokogawa to provide Control System for 520 MW Combined Cycle Power Plant in Uruguay

Yokogawa announces that its subsidiary, Yokogawa Electric Korea, has received an order from Hyundai Engineering & Construction in South Korea, to supply a control system for a gas-fired power plant that it is building for UTE in Punta del Tigre, Uruguay. This is the first combined cycle gas turbine power plant in Uruguay and the order is Yokogawa's first for a power plant in this country. To increase the country's power generation capacity, UTE has commissioned the construction of a highly efficient combined cycle power plant next to its existing thermal power plant in Punta del Tigre. The new plant is expected to come online in June 2015. With an installed capacity of 520 MW, it will be Uruguay's largest thermal power plant.

For this project, Yokogawa will deliver a CENTUM^® VP integrated production control system for the monitoring and control of all plant facilities, including the gas turbines, exhaust-heat-recovery boilers, and steam turbines. The company will also supply an Exaquantum^™ plant information management system and DPharp EJA/EJX differential pressure/pressure transmitters, and will be responsible for the engineering, installation, and commissioning of these products. In addition, it will provide operator training services.

Samsung C&T wins $1.37 Billion Power Plant Contract in Algeria

Samsung C&T was awarded an EPC contract to build two power plants for US$1.37 billion in Algeria by Sonelgaz Electricity Production Company (SPE), a subsidiary of the state-owned electricity and gas utility group Sonelgaz. Power facilities will be located in Mostaganem and Nama. The power station in Mostaganem will have a generating capacity of 1,450 MW and the one in Nama 1,163 MW upon its completion.

Georgia to build 230 MW Gardabani Power Plant

The construction of a new combined cycle power station with a capacity of 230 MW will be launched in Bardabani (Kyemo Kartli), Georgia, Trend reported. The plant will come online in late 2015 and will be equipped with turbines from General Electric. The cost of the project is $220 million. It will be financed by the Partnership Fund and the Georgian Oil and Gas Corporation. Turkish Calik Enerji will build the power plant.

Japan’s Saibu Gas commissions Feasibility Study for 1,600 MW Kitakyushu Power Plant in Japan

Japan’s Saibu Gas is planning to enter the Japanese electricity market, commissioning a feasibility study for a gas-fired power plant. The gas utility plans to build a 1,600 MW combined cycle power plant in Kitakyushu, Japan. The new power plant will be built next to its Hibiki LNG terminal, which is expected to start operating in November. The spokesman said that if Saibu Gas were to enter the electricity business, it would seek a partner, but no details were given.

APR Energy to build 100 MW Power Plant in Myanmar

APR Energy PLC has won a contract to build a 100-MW power plant in Myanmar. "This is a substantial investment," said Clive Turton, APR Energy's head of business development across Asia Pacific, declining to specify how much it will invest to develop the gas-fired project. The power plant, in the central Mandalay region, will supply power to more than six million people, tapping Myanmar's large reserves of national gas via the Shwe gas pipeline.

El Shabab (Egypt) Open Cycle to Combined Cycle conversion Project to increase Capacity to 1,500 MW

The European Investment Bank (EIB) has signed a loan agreement for an amount of €205 million to finance El Shabab power plant project. The project consists of the conversion of an open cycle power plant to combined cycle gas technology and it should significantly improve the generating efficiency of the power plant, resulting in an increase in capacity to 1,500 MW. The project will be co-financed by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the Saudi Fund for Development. Once fully developed, according to EIB, this complex will contribute to the expansion of basic energy infrastructure needed for the economic development of Egypt.

Bangladesh PDB set to build a 400 MW Power Plant at Bibiyana South

The Bangladesh Power Development Board (PDB) has decided to construct Bibiyana South, a 400 MW combined cycle power plant project, in Habiganj with its own funds as Summit Group apparently “failed” to build a power plant there due to fund crunch. Alongside Bibiyana South, another power plant named Bibiyana 3, a 399 MW gas-based power plant is being built under the PDB. The PDB has already invited international tenders for the new power plant project. The last date for tender submission is April 1.

NamPower, Zambia’s CEC sign 1,050 MW Kudu Power Plant Deal

NamPower has reached a deal with Xambia’s Copperbelt Energy Corporation (CEC) to develop a much-delayed $1.2 billion gas-fired power plant in Namibia. CEC will take a 30 percent stake in the Kudu project near Oranjemund in southwestern Namibia that will pump gas from the Kudu field about 170 km offshore to a combined cycle gas-fired power plant. CEC will also buy up to 300 MW of electricity from the plant to supply mines in Zambia, Africa’s top copper producer. The power plant, which will have a total capacity of up to 1,050 MW when completed in 2017, will be connected to the Namibian and South African electricity grids for local and regional use.

Hot Topic Hour

Ambient Air Quality Rules will be Tough to Meet - Hot Topic Hour on Thursday, February 13, 2014

New modeling and monitoring procedures, some of which are only in draft but are being imposed on permit seekers, are creating major problems in moving new projects forward. Four experts weighed in on the impact of existing and proposed NAAQS standards.

Brian Stormwind, Manager Air Quality Engineering & Studies at AECOM, offered advice on “Dealing with Implementation of the 1-hour SO₂ NAAQS: Challenges and Options.” The stringency and nature of the 1-hour SO₂ NAAQS is expected to significantly impact industrial clients for attainment designations that are overdue for most areas. EPA's strategy seems to focus on the largest SO₂ sources (at least one thousand tons/year), while environmental groups have already submitted modeling with purported NAAQS violations due to selected sources to the EPA and state agencies for consideration in the current designation process. The Sierra Club has also sued EPA over the delays in the designations and may force EPA to speed up this process in a settlement agreement. A soon-to-be-released “Data Requirements Rule” will be very important in this regard. Brian came to the following conclusions:

Richard Hamel, Senior Project Manager Air Quality and Climate Change (AQCC) Practice at Environmental Resources Management (ERM), indicated the challenge with “Dark Skies Ahead: The Challenges of Modeling the New NAAQS for Fossil-Fuel Power Plants.” The new 1-hour SO₂ and NO₂ probabilistic NAAQS, as well as the newly tightened annual PM_2.5standard and the already stringent 24-hour PM_2.5 standard, have brought to the table a whole new set of challenges in showing compliance compared to the older, deterministic NAAQS. Richard made the following important observations:

Gale F. Hoffnagle, CCM, QEP, Senior Vice President and Technical Director Air Quality Consulting Practice Leader at TRC Environmental Corporation, enumerated problems related to obtaining permits under the new NAAQS. The changes to the NAAQS and the way they are being implemented result in very expensive permit applications. The fact that almost every permit is being challenged is leading to substantially longer permitting times and greater uncertainty. The burden is severe enough to limit development of new plants. There was a discussion as to what could be done to overcome this obstacle. The answer is that it will have to be done on a case-by- case basis

Mack McGuffey, Partner at Troutman Sanders LLP, conveyed the impact and status of the NAAQS. EPA is required to update its national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) every five years, but never in the history of the Clean Air Act has the Agency issued so many NAAQS revisions so quickly. A newly strengthened standard can seem like changing the rules of the game in the middle of a play to a facility seeking to construct a new boiler or turbine or modify its existing equipment, even before the newly revised standard has been fully implemented. Many of the standards are also subject to litigation, which can further complicate the picture. Due to the complex procedure involved in implementing NAAQS revisions, major emitting facility owners and operators should keep a close watch on the progress of EPA's recent and promised revisions, particularly those for fine particulate matter (PM_2.5), ozone and sulfur dioxide (SO₂), to avoid unwelcome surprises in the form of unexpected permitting and emission control requirements.

While many areas presently meet the current requirement of 84 ppb for ground level ozone, very few areas will be in attainment with the proposed 60-70 ppb.

Over 20 utility personnel signed up for the webinar. Utilities represented included:

Industry News

Ahlstrom Media Sales for Gas Turbines are Surging

In 2013 Ahlstrom sales in the advanced filtration sector which includes gas turbines surged ahead 29 percent to $98 million. This contrasts to slow growth in other sectors.

Segment	2013 Revenue ($ Millions)	% Comparable 2012	Area of Activity
Food & Medical	338	-5.9%	Food packaging, masking tape and medical gowns and drapes
Building and Energy	276	-0.3	Wind mill blades, wall and floor coverings
Advanced Filtration	98	29	Life science and gas turbine
Transportation	307	4.5	Filter media

NV Energy coping with Stellite Delamination

CCJ editors participated in a round table with NV Energy personnel to discuss the first gas-turbine major inspection at its Walter M Higgins Generating Station. Higgins is a 2 x 1 combined cycle powered by 501FD2 gas turbines from Siemens Energy Inc. The air-cooled plant began commercial operation in 1Q/2004 as Bighorn Generating Station, then owned by Reliant Energy Inc. Higgins has compiled some enviable statistics over the years, most recently 100% starting reliability in 2012: 131 starts in as many attempts.

The roundtable covered a number of issues including large steam valves. It focused on stellite liberation from high-pressure (HP) and hot reheat (HRH) valves serving in F-class combined cycles. Tight shutoff of parallel-slide gate and non-return globe valves has been compromised in some cases. This is an industry-wide problem and something NV Energy is dealing with at Higgins and other plants. The company’s experience was factored into the industry roundup published earlier. Click Here For Complete Article Text

Energy Efficiency by Optimizing Annual Testing Schedules -Coordinating Rata Testing with other Annual Test Requirements

Because it can be a significant undertaking to schedule the loads for a series of RATA tests, it makes economic sense to schedule other testing also requiring unit stability concurrently with the RATA tests. One of the most important tests that fits this category is performance testing for plant capacity and/or heat rate. Many plants are now required to perform capacity and/or heat rate demonstrations on a periodic basis to support their power purchase agreements or transmission reliability requirements. But even plants without performance test requirements can benefit from gathering performance related data during RATA testing.

$185 Billion Market for Gas Turbines in U.S. over Next 27 Years

The conventional wisdom, as reflected in U.S. government forecasts, is that the big increase in generating capacity in the U.S. will be for gas turbine and combined cycle plants. This capacity will grow by 185,000 MW requiring an annual investment of over $6.8 billion.

Fuel	2013 GW	2025 GW	2040 GW
Coal	254	254	254
Gas Turbine and Diesel	351	390	536
Fossil Total	605	644	790

The U.S. Energy Information Administration believes that the U.S. coal-fired capacity will remain at 254 GW over the next 27 years, while the gas turbine and diesel capacity will increase from 351 GW to 536 GW by 2040. Most of this capacity will be combined cycle as opposed to simple cycle. Therefore, the investment will be close to $ 1 billion per GW.

Peaking plants traditionally operated a short time per year when demand was at its highest. Today, a gas turbine peaking plant may operate for a substantial portion of the year to offset fluctuations in solar and wind generation. Since the efficiency of combined cycle plants is much higher than simple cycle and the greenhouse gas emissions much lower, regulators are demanding that peaking plants not only incorporate the steam cycle, but that they also have efficient NO_x reduction and CO oxidation systems.

Gas Turbine Fogging Nozzles require High Pressure Pumps

Mee is a supplier of fogging systems including the pumps. Here is the pump specification: High-pressure fog pump units shall be ceramic plunger type with all wetted parts being stainless steel, ceramic or Buna rubber. Pumps shall be operated at not more than 700 rpm at full flow and rated for not less than 2000 psi maximum operating pressure. Click Here For Complete Text

Projects – U.S.

NTE Planning Simple Cycle 300 MW Pecan Creek Energy Center in Nolan, TX