US-based multinational conglomerate corporation General Electric (GE) said on Tuesday, June 27, it has been awarded an order from the consortium Duro Felguera - Romelectro for core technology in the Iernut power plant operated by Romanian natural gas producer Romgaz [BSE: SNG].
With a planned installed generation capacity of 430 megawatts (MW), the Iernut project in Mures county, in central Romania, will be Southeast Europe’s largest gas project in five years.
GE’s technology will be capable of generating the equivalent power needed to supply 1 million average Romanian households, the company said in a press release.
The project is Romania’s largest public investment in conventional power in 20 years with a total investment of 269 million euro ($301 million) from Romgaz, announced last year in November.
The plant will feature four of GE’s 6F.03 gas turbines, two steam turbines and four heat recovery steam generators as part of expanded scope solutions from GE’s portfolio following the acquisition of the former Alstom Power business.
GE technology is expected to increase the plant’s gross efficiency to 56.42% - an increase of 18 percentage points - and reduce CO2 emissions by 38% compared to the current levels. The new combined-cycle power plant will be built within the existing gas-fired power plant site. Work will commence later in 2017, and the new plant is expected to replace the existing plant upon completion in 2019.
"This project will result in one of the largest and most efficient gas power plants in South Eastern Europe and will change the way power is delivered in Romania,” president and CEO of GE Power’s Gas Power Systems Joe Mastrangel said.
GE has been doing business in Romania since 1984 when it provided turbo-generator units for the Cernavoda nuclear power plant.
Duro Felguera is a Spanish company specialising in the delivery of turnkey projects for the energy, mining and handling, oil and gas, smart control systems, communications, security and defence sectors.
Romelectro is a private Romanian company acting as a contractor and having more than 45 years of international experience in the energy area.
Romgaz is the largest natural gas producer in Romania and one of the largest in Eastern Europe, responsible for producing around 40% of the total natural gas consumption in Romania. It is owned by the Romanian state with a 70% stake, while the balance of 30% is traded on the BVB.
(SeeNews, June 27, 2017)
