The plant will operate with six Wärtsilä 50SG gas engines having a combined net output of 108 MW. The fast-starting and stopping ability of Wärtsilä’s engine technology allows full output to be reached in just minutes, thus ensuring a stable and reliable electricity supply regardless of the weather conditions. The Wärtsilä equipment is scheduled for delivery in the beginning of 2024, and the plant is expected to become fully operational by the summer of 2025.
“The Pioneer Generation Station Phase IV power plant project will serve the growing needs of the cooperative’s members with reliable, affordable, and responsible electricity. Load forecasts show member cooperatives will require more electricity by 2025,”
Todd Telesz, Basin Electric CEO and General Manager, tells WIP.
Jon Rodriguez, Director, Engine Power Plants, North America, Wärtsilä Energy, adds:
“Basin Electric is familiar with our engines and we are pleased to be working again with this advanced co-operative. In addition to their grid balancing capabilities, one of the many benefits of our gas engine solutions is that they require a relatively low gas pressure to sustain full rated capacity. Unlike high-pressure alternatives that require a gas pressure of 20 to 60 bar (300 to 900 psi), our engines need only 6 to 12 bar (90 to 180 psi). This helps to ensure supply reliability at all times.”
Reciprocating engine power plants based on internal combustion engine technology are being increasingly deployed in the United States to balance renewables. Flexible technologies, such as grid balancing power plants and energy storage, also offer a sustainable means for decarbonising energy production by allowing higher renewable production by reducing the need to curtail those resources. Basin Electric Power Cooperative is a generation and transmission cooperative owned by 131 member cooperative systems across nine states serving three million consumers. Basin Electric has earlier purchased Wärtsilä engines for another of its power generating facilities in North Dakota.
Wärtsilä is a Finnish multinational corporation that specializes in the production of power generation equipment, marine propulsion systems, and other industrial equipment and services. The company was founded in 1834 and is headquartered in Helsinki, Finland.
Wärtsilä's products and services are used in a wide range of industries, including marine, energy, and oil and gas. The company is a leading supplier of marine propulsion systems, which are used in a variety of vessels including cargo ships, ferries, and cruise ships. Wärtsilä is also a major producer of power plants, including both gas-fired and diesel-fired plants, and provides a range of services to help customers maintain and optimize their equipment.
In recent years, Wärtsilä has also become a leader in the development of sustainable solutions for the energy and marine industries. The company has developed a number of technologies that help to reduce emissions and improve the efficiency of its products, including gas engines that can run on a variety of fuels, such as natural gas, biogas, and synthetic fuels.
Wärtsilä operates in more than 200 locations in over 80 countries, and has a workforce of over 18,000 employees worldwide. The company has a long history of innovation and is committed to providing its customers with high-quality, reliable products and services that meet their needs in an ever-changing world.
The Pioneer Generation Station is a natural gas-fired power plant located in Willacy County, Texas, USA. The plant is owned and operated by NRG Energy, a major power company based in the United States.
The Pioneer Generation Station is a combined-cycle power plant, which means that it generates electricity using both gas turbines and steam turbines. The plant has a total generating capacity of 758 megawatts (MW), which is enough to power approximately 758,000 homes.
The plant was completed in 2001 and uses natural gas as its primary fuel source. It is one of several power plants owned and operated by NRG Energy in Texas and across the United States.
In addition to its power generation operations, NRG Energy is also a major player in the renewable energy sector, with a growing portfolio of wind, solar, and other clean energy projects. The company is committed to providing its customers with reliable and sustainable sources of energy, and is a leader in the development of new technologies and business models that support the transition to a low-carbon future.
Basin Electric Power Cooperative is a non-profit wholesale electric generation and transmission cooperative headquartered in Bismarck, North Dakota, United States. It was founded in 1961 and currently serves 141 member electric cooperatives, public power districts, and government agencies in nine states: Colorado, Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming.
Basin Electric generates and transmits electricity from a variety of sources, including coal, natural gas, wind, and hydropower. It operates a number of power plants, including the Antelope Valley Station, Laramie River Station, and Dry Fork Station, which are all coal-fired, and the Pioneer Generation Station, which is a natural gas-fired plant. Basin Electric is also involved in developing and operating wind and solar projects.
Basin Electric's mission is to provide reliable, affordable, and sustainable energy to its members and the communities they serve. The cooperative is governed by a board of directors elected by its members.
The Wärtsilä 50SG is a gas engine designed for power generation applications. It is a four-stroke, spark-ignited engine that runs on natural gas or biogas. The engine is manufactured by Wärtsilä, a Finnish company that produces power generation and marine propulsion systems.
The Wärtsilä 50SG gas engine has a high electrical efficiency, low emissions, and can operate in a wide range of ambient conditions. The engine is available in several configurations, with power outputs ranging from 1.6 to 2.8 MW.
The 50SG gas engine is designed for use in both baseload and peaking power applications, and is suitable for use in combined heat and power (CHP) plants, industrial applications, and independent power producer (IPP) projects. The engine is known for its reliability, durability, and low maintenance requirements, making it a popular choice for power generation projects around the world.
Wärtsilä provides a range of support services for the 50SG gas engine, including installation, commissioning, maintenance, and spare parts. The company also offers digital solutions that can help operators optimize the performance of the engine and improve efficiency.
The Wärtsilä 50SG gas engine is a four-stroke, spark-ignited engine that uses natural gas or biogas as fuel. Here's a general overview of how the engine works:
Air is drawn into the engine's combustion chamber through the air filter.
The fuel (natural gas or biogas) is injected into the combustion chamber through the gas injector.
The spark plug ignites the fuel-air mixture, causing an explosion that generates energy.
The energy produced by the explosion pushes the piston down, which rotates the crankshaft.
The crankshaft then turns the generator to produce electricity.
The exhaust gases are expelled from the combustion chamber through the exhaust system.
The waste heat from the engine can be recovered and used to produce steam or hot water for heating or industrial processes, making the engine suitable for combined heat and power (CHP) applications.
The 50SG gas engine is designed to operate at high efficiency, with low emissions and minimal maintenance requirements. The engine's control system can automatically adjust the fuel-air mixture to optimize combustion and maintain emissions within acceptable limits.
Wärtsilä also offers a range of digital solutions for the 50SG engine, which can help operators monitor and optimize engine performance, reduce downtime, and improve efficiency.
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