New Power Plant in Portugal to Feature GE's 109FB Combined-Cycle Technology
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - July 10, 2007 - Extending its large combined-cycle technology into Portugal, GE Energy will supply a turnkey power station to EDP Produao (Energias de Portugal) that will add 862 megawatts of capacity to the country's electricity grid.
Located in Lares, council of Figueira da Foz, Portugal, the new power station will be based on two GE STAG 109FB combined cycle systems and is scheduled to enter commercial operation in the second half of 2009.
GE's consortium partners for this project are Cobra Instalaciones y Servicios S.A. of Spain and CME of Portugal, who will provide integrated engineering, balance-of-plant equipment, site civil work, equipment installation and erection activities.
Although it will be the first application in Portugal for GE's frame 9FB gas turbine technology, 20 of these machines have been selected for projects worldwide.
"The 9FB is among the world's most advanced, air-cooled 50-hertz gas turbines and is the latest evolutionary step in GE's F technology, which has surpassed 20 million hours of commercial service," said Ricardo Cordoba, president of GE Energy - Europe.
The Lares project "is a cornerstone of EDP's 2007-2010 strategic plan to secure energy supply in Portugal," according to Dr. Antonio Mexia, chief executive officer of EDP, who spoke during a recent groundbreaking ceremony at the plant site. "The use of GE's advanced technology will enable EDP to reduce by more than 20% the emissions per megawatt-hour of electricity produced, to meet our CO2 emissions reduction plan," he added.
In addition to the equipment supply, GE has signed a 12-year contractual service agreement with EDP, which will provide predictable maintenance costs and guaranteed outage durations and plant performance. GE Energy will lead the EPC activities over the 26-month schedule.
Each of the two GE 109FB single-shaft, combined-cycle blocks will include a Frame 9FB gas turbine, a 450H generator, an A15 steam turbine, a heat recovery steam generator and a distributed control system. The scope of GE's contract also includes commissioning and training activities.
The gas turbines will be manufactured at GE Energy's Belfort, France facilities, and the generators and steam turbines will be built in Schenectady, N.Y. Equipment shipments are expected to start early in 2008 and run through the remainder of that year.
EDP is the third largest energy solutions provider in the Iberian market and the largest Portuguese industrial group, with 10 million customers. EDP is present in all segments of the energy supply chain including generation, transmission and distribution, retailing and trading, as well as distribution of natural gas. Also active in the renewables area, EDP has received more than 100 wind turbines from GE Energy for projects in Portugal and Spain.
About GE Energy
GE Energy (www.ge.com/energy) is one of the world's leading suppliers of
power generation and energy delivery technologies, with 2006 revenue of $19 billion. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, GE Energy works in all areas of the energy industry including coal, oil, natural gas and nuclear energy; renewable resources such as water, wind, solar and biogas; and other alternative fuels. Numerous GE Energy products are certified under ecomagination, GE's corporate-wide initiative to aggressively bring to market new technologies that will help customers meet pressing environmental challenges.
For more information, contact:
Cassie McGookey
GE Energy
+1 678 844 5353
cassie.mcgookey@ge.com
Ken Darling or Howard Masto
Masto Public Relations
+1 518 786 6488
kenneth.darling@ge.com
howard.masto@ge.com
