2011 highlights: Alstom's milestones in power generation

March 2011: Position in solar power strengthened 

We've invested $75m in BrightSource Energy, Inc. This further reinforces our partnership with BrightSource, following our initial investment in the company in May 2010 and the partnership agreement signed in August 2010 to provide fully integrated solar thermal power plants. Read more 

May 2011: Successful commercial startup of Ling Ao Unit 4 in China 

Successful commercial startup of Ling Ao Unit 4 in China - one week ahead of schedule-, confirming the performance of Unit 3 and hence the ARABELLE 1000 platform (80 MW more than Units 1 and 2 with the same thermal power reactor output). The performance tests of Units 3 and 4 performed by CNPEC proved that the actual output was better than the guaranteed figure by a significant margin.

June 2011: Expanding our renewable energy portfolio 

We've broadened our involvement in marine energy by acquiring a 40% equity share in AWS Ocean Energy. The move complements our existing activities, Ocean Energy business in Nantes, France, where we are developing our 1 MW commercial-scale tidal turbine prototype, the Beluga 9. Read more 

June 2011: Indias first variable speed pumped storage hydro power plant 

We lead a consortium to install a 1,000 MW variable speed pumped storage hydro power plant on the river Bhagirathi in the state of Uttarakhand, India. It will be Indias first pumped storage power plant to use variable speed technology. Read more 

September 2011: Thermal solar plant in Nevada, USA 

We've signed a contract with US firm Cobra Thermosolar Plants Inc. to supply a 125 MW steam turbine and a generator for a thermal solar plant in Tonopah, Nevada, USA using tower technology. This order confirms our expertise in manufacturing steam turbine to be operated in solar plants. Read more 

September 2011: A run-of-river hydro power plant in Brazil 

We lead a consortium that has been awarded an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract to provide power equipment for the new 373.4 MW Santo Antonio do Jari hydroelectric plant to be built on the river Jari in Brazils Amazonian region. Our Kaplan hydro power turbines will be specifically designed to meet the challenging operating conditions of the river. Read more 

 October 2011: Takeover of the completed Belchatów power plant by the customer 

On 14 October, we were rewarded with the arrival from the client of the Provisional Acceptance Certificate.

Backdated to the conclusion of the reliability run on 30 September, the PAC formalises the takeover of the plant by the customer, PGE Elektrownia Belchatów, and the commencement of commercial operations.

Bełchatów near Łódź, central Poland is Europe's largest thermal power plant, with 12 x 370 MW units currently in operation. Alstom's Engineering, Procurement & Construction (EPC) contract with client PGE Elektrownia Bełchatów is for a 13th unit, 1 x 858 MW lignite-fuelled supercritical, bringing total output of the plant to over 5,2 GW. The unit features STF100 steam turbine, GIGATOP 2-pole turbogenerator and ALSPA control system.

November 2011: Feasibility study agreement signed for CCS project 

On 7 November 2011, we've signed with China Datang Corporation (Datang) the feasibility study agreement for CCS Demo Project in Daqing, Heilongjiang province. We will carry out the study for the 350 MW oxy-combustion CCS demonstration project located in Daqing, using our know-how and expertise in oxy-firing technology.

Scheduled for operation in 2015, the Daqing CCS demonstration project is the first large scale CCS demonstration project in Asia, capable of capturing above 1,000,000 metric tonnes of CO2 annually. The Daqing CCS demonstration plant will be the first large-scale demo project to adopt the oxy-combustion technology, enriching the CCS technology mix in China. Read more
 

November 2011: Opening of a new auxiliary components facility in India 

On 28 November we officially opened a new production line in Shahabad, India. The facility will manufacture the latest marques of heating transfer surfaces or elements for air preheaters. To save time a manufacturing line was shipped over from its original location at the auxiliary components parent facility in Wellsville, the United States, and refurbished in situ.

This enabled the heating element shop to be set up in less than a year. The establishment of a fully automated, computer- controlled element line at the Shahabad facility means that more customers will have access to the company's advanced technology, and give us a manufacturing foothold in the region. Read more 

Alstom can supply and integrate all key components: from the Turbine Generator Set to the entire Turbine Island.

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