Emerson Wins Contracts to Apply PlantWeb® Digital Plant Architecture at Seven New U.S. Coal-fired Power Plants
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Contract awards for plants representing 5,505 MW of new generating capacity reinforce Emerson as the automation and control system supplier of choice for the power generation industry
PITTSBURGH, PA (November 28, 2006) - Emerson Process Management announced today that in 2006 to date the company has been selected to install its PlantWeb® digital plant architecture with the Ovation® expert control system at seven new coal-fired power plants, all slated to go into commercial operation within the next five years. These new plants represent an additional 5,505 MW of new generating capacity that will help U.S. utilities satisfy the country's growing appetite for electricity. In addition to these contracts, Emerson anticipates receiving additional new plant awards before year's end.
Emerson control systems are already installed in plants representing more than 230,000 MW of generating capacity, or more than 35 percent of electricity generated in the United States . These latest contracts further reinforce Emerson as the number-one control system supplier to U.S. power generators.
Emerson's PlantWeb solution incorporates high-speed communications networks, intelligent field devices, asset management software, and bus I/O technologies to help power producers control critical plant processes, increase plant efficiencies and megawatt production, and realize long-term operations and maintenance savings. Emerson's Ovation control system, a key technology of PlantWeb, is designed specifically to meet the challenges of the power generation industry. The Ovation system boasts a number of industry-leading advanced technologies, including incorporation of embedded advanced control algorithms; a mission-critical, Fast Ethernet network for high-speed communication of plant information; the industry's most powerful controller with the fastest duty cycle available to optimize plant performance; and a full line of analog, digital and special-purpose turbine and boiler I/O modules; among others.
For new plants, deployment of PlantWeb technologies helps power generators lower wiring costs and streamline device installation, communications verification and troubleshooting - an approach that translates into reduced startup and commissioning costs. In fact, a recent study conducted by JDI Contracts Inc. determined that utilizing the Engineer-Procure-Construct (EPC) approach, combined with the integrated, intelligent and highly automated digital architecture advocated by Emerson, can result in total project cost reduction of as much as $20 million for a 600-megawatt coal-fired plant.
Given the restructuring that has introduced competition into the industry, evolving environmental regulations, and an increased focus on fiscal responsibility, it is critical that power generators utilize advanced automation technologies that will provide a sustainable operational foundation for the expected 30-plus-year plant life, while at the same time addressing current business realities. And because the majority of new coal plants in the United States are expected to become operational in the 2008 through 2012 timeframe, power generators must begin now to carefully evaluate their options based on a strategic vision for where automation technology will be going in the future.
"Laying the right foundation is crucial for utilities navigating this ever-changing landscape," said Bob Yeager, president of the Power & Water Solutions division at Emerson, who points out that many leading utilities - in the United States and around the world - rely on Ovation to simultaneously reduce costs and optimize plant performance. "More and more we are working upfront in a collaborative environment with utilities and their architect-engineering firms as they move toward implementing a flexible, long-term automation strategy that offers operational and economic advantages while also helping meet the country's growing demand for efficient, reliable and affordable electricity well into the future."
About Emerson Process Management
Emerson Process Management (www.emersonprocess.com), an Emerson business, is a leader in helping businesses automate their production, processing and distribution in the power, water and wastewater treatment, chemical, oil and gas, refining, pulp and paper, food and beverage, pharmaceutical, and other industries.
Emerson's Power & Water Solutions division (www.emersonprocess-powerwater.com) is a global supplier of advanced distributed process control and information systems. The Pittsburgh-based company is a recognized leader in developing plant-wide process control solutions for the power generation, water treatment and wastewater treatment industries. Power & Water Solutions plays a key role in the Emerson mission of combining superior products and technology with industry-specific engineering, consulting, project management and maintenance services.
Emerson brands include PlantWeb®, Ovation®; SmartProcess®; Fisher®; MicroMotion®; Rosemount®; Mobrey®, Daniel®, Bristol®, DeltaV(TM); and AMS(TM) Suite.
About Emerson
Emerson (NYSE: EMR), based in St. Louis, is a global leader in bringing technology and engineering together to provide innovative solutions to customers through its network power, process management, industrial automation, climate technologies, and appliance and tools businesses. Sales in fiscal 2006 were $20.1 billion. For more information, visit www.GoToEmerson.com.
