Record numbers of Alstom gas plants enter commercial operation in 2010

Approximately 10 GW powered worldwide
Over 6 GW added to Europes electricity grid
 Contracts totalling 2 GW won in Asia 

Alstom Gas Plants achieved several execution milestones in 2010, completing the year with 12 plants totalling approximately 10 GW entering commercial operation. Projects executed were across Alstoms range of gas plants.
 
KA26 combined-cycle power plants 

Eight combined-cycle power plants (CCPPs) based on Alstoms GT26 technology entered commercial operation in Europe. The plants include Maxima (formerly called Flevocentrale) in the Netherlands, Aghada in Ireland, Langage and Staythorpe in the United Kingdom (UK), Emsland in Germany, Scandale in Italy, Combigolfe in France, and Soto de Ribera 5 in Spain. These plants have cumulatively added over 6 GW to the European electricity grid, enough electricity to power approximately 13 million European homes.

In addition, the 370 MW Utran power plant and the 2000 MW Fujairah power plant entered operation in India and the Middle East respectively. Both plants are the first KA26 power plants in their respective countries.

Alstoms KA26 technology offers superior plant operational flexibility, coupled with its unique capability to be parked at a very low CCPP load of approximately 20%. The result is a plant design that offers the potential to avoid the need for plant shutdown in the evening and start-up in the morning and remain at the ready to provide renewable generation spinning reserve*, and/or minute reserve with the capability to ramp-up from the low load parking point to full-load within 15 minutes. This feature is particularly important, given the increasing share of wind and solar in electricity generation. This also helps to mitigate the unreliability and unpredictatble spin in production. Alstoms GT24/GT26 technology has till date acquired over 4 million operating hours.

The projects completed in 2010 offer high efficiency over a wide load range and low emissions to the plant operators, a cornerstone of Alstoms CCPP technology. The 870 MW Maxima plant is the first GT26 based CCPP in the Netherlands. The 435 MW Combigolfe plant in France is the third CCPP constructed by Alstom in France. At Langage (878 MW) and Emsland (876 MW), Alstom has implemented the KA26 in an integrated cycle solution achieving a market leading performance in this class with 872 MW net CCPP output with 59.1% net plant efficiency in certain conditions. The 1650 MW Staythorpe plant is the second largest gas fired power plant in the UK. The 800 MW Scandale power plant in Italy uses the KA26 technology in a co-generation application, allowing it to use the waste energy from the plant and thereby produce steam for industrial or domestic use. The 432 MW Aghada plant marked the first CCPP constructed on a full turnkey basis by Alstom in Ireland and the 420 MW Soto de Ribera plant is the 12th KA26 power block in Spain. Today, 25 KA26 plants are operational in Europe, producing over 16 GW of electricity and further KA26 projects totalling approximately 4.7 GW are currently under construction.

The technology is also gaining in popularity in Asia. The successful and timely completion at Utran reinforced the technologys strengths and led to a new contract to build two KA26-1 units at the Jegurupadu III CCPP in East Godavari District, Andhra Pradesh state, India. The two units, to be commissioned from 2013 onwards, will have a combined power output of 800 MW. Alstom has also won contracts to build KA26 power plants in Singapore - a 800 MW KA26-1 plant (with one 400 MW block, booked in 2010 and an additional 400 MW block, to be booked in 2011) for Keppel Merlimau Cogen (KMC) Pte Ltd and a 400 MW plant for Tuas Power Generation Pte Ltd (TPG). The installed capacity for KA26 in Asia totals 4.5 GW.

KA11N2 combined-cycle power plant 

A 480 MW CCPP based on Alstoms GT11N2 technology entered commercial operation in Brazil. The plant supplies power to the new Thyssenkrupp steel mill in the country. The project uses blast furnace gas from the steel mill as the fuel. Alstoms GT11N2 gas turbines are specifically designed to burn fuel with very low calorific value, presenting a reliable, efficient and environmentally friendly industrial solution for burning waste gases from industrial plants. Over 5.8 GW installed capacity exists in North America, Latin America and Asia, the key markets for this technology.

GT13E2 simple cycle power plant 

The 465 MW Relizane simple cycle plant based on three Alstom GT13E2 gas turbines entered commercial operation in Algeria. This project is part of Algerias emergency program that aims to rapidly increase the countrys power generating capacity as demand is booming. Alstom is also currently constructing the 1200 MW Terga power plant in Algeria based on the GT26 technology. Installed capacity for this technology totals approximately 7.4 GW in simple cycle and 18 GW in combined-cycle applications.

Mark Coxon, Senior Vice President Gas, Alstom Power, commented, Natural gas will continue to play an important role in a countrys energy mix. With high efficiency levels, combined-cycle plants provide an effective solution to meet energy demand. I am proud to say that our range of gas fired power plants offer one of the most efficient and environment friendly technologies in the market today. 

Press contact 

Sapna Lalwani - Tel: +41 (56) 55 63342
E.mail: sapna.lalwani@power.alstom.com 

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