[BETA] Fortnightly

Generation

GE unveiled the new 50-MW FlexAero LM6000-PH gas turbine.

GE unveiled a new 50-MW aeroderivative gas turbine, the FlexAero LM6000-PH, and also the FlexEfficiency 50 combined cycle power plant, a 510-MW load-following plant design using the new turbine. Both products are intended to enable the integration of more renewable resources into the power grid, with fast startup and ramp rates and the ability to turn down to 40 percent load without exceeding air emissions limits. The company also announced that it received more than $1 billion in orders for heavy duty and aeroderivative gas turbines for projects throughout North America since year-end 2010.

Hitachi Power Systems America won a contract from Westar Energy for the design and supply of a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system, including Hitachi’s proprietary catalyst, for Westar’s Jeffrey Energy Center, Unit 1, located near St. Marys, Kan. The 800 MW coal-fired unit burns Powder River Basin coal.

Westinghouse Electric Company was awarded a contract valued at $35 million to install replacement reactor vessel heads and to provide associated services for Axpo AG’s Beznau nuclear power plant, a 730 MW, two-unit nuclear plant in Dottingen, Switzerland. The installations are scheduled to occur during the plant’s 2014 spring (Unit 1) and fall (Unit 2) outages. Preliminary work is under way. Under contract terms, Westinghouse will create a temporary opening in each unit’s concrete and steel containment using plasma cutting. The old heads will be removed from the reactor vessels and transferred from containment into the on-site radioactive waste intermediate storage building. The new heads then will be installed. The removal and installation are expected to be completed in fewer than 40 days per unit.

Lockheed Martin and OPT are collaborating on wave power technology and projects.

Constellation Energy’s retail energy business affiliate began construction on a $60 million, 16.1-MW DC grid-connected photovoltaic (PV) solar installation in Emmitsburg, Md. Electricity produced by the system will be purchased by the state of Maryland’s Department of General Services and the University System of Maryland under 20-year power purchase agreements. The ground-mounted installation will be comprised of approximately 220,000 thin film PV panels on 100 acres of land leased from Mount St. Mary’s University. In addition to the 16.1-MW system, Constellation is developing a 1.3-MW solar power system on the site to supply power directly to the university. First Solar is providing PV technology as well as engineering, procurement and construction services for the project.

Lockheed Martin will provide design, manufacturing, system integration and supply chain management expertise to enhance OPT’s PowerBuoy technology. This collaboration follows a $2.4 million contract awarded by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to OPT as part of initiatives announced in September 2010 to promote the development of renewable marine energy.

OPT and Lockheed Martin collaborated on OPT’s proposed commercial-scale wave power generation project at Reedsport, Ore. 

Duke Energy Renewables announced plans to build, own and operate the 202-MW Los Vientos II wind power project in Texas, and to sell the electricity and renewable energy credits it generates to Austin Energy through a 25-year agreement. Construction is expected to begin by December with startup by the end of 2012. Los Vientos II is the second phase of a