Abengoa to develop 440MW combined cycle plant in Oregon at $364m

Abengoa, a Spanish technology company that offers solutions in the energy and environment sectors, has been selected by U.S. power company, Portland General Electric (PGE) to develop a 440 MW combined cycle power plant, to supply electrical energy to half the population of Portland, Oregon. The project is valued at USD 364 million and is expected to be completed in 36 months.

The combined cycle plant will be capable of producing electricity from natural gas, an energy resource that exists locally in the U.S., offering an efficient response to the needs of nearby towns and increasing the country's energy independence. Abengoa will be responsible for the engineering, design and construction of the combined cycle power plant under the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) "turnkey" system.

For this project, Abengoa has subcontracted Mitsubishi Power Systems Americas to supply the power block equipment which involves the gas turbine, the steam turbine and the heat recovery steam generator. 

The power train includes Mitsubishi's M501GAC gas turbine, SRT-50 reheat steam turbine and heat recovery steam generator. The company has received orders for more than 77 units of the G series turbine worldwide, including more than 39 units in North America.

The SRT-50 steam turbine utilizes an advanced 50-inch last stage blade for improved plant performance. Gas turbine combined cycle power plants generate electricity in two stages through the combined use of gas and steam turbines. High temperature exhaust from the gas turbine is used to produce the steam that drives the steam turbine. This configuration enables power plants to achieve higher thermal efficiency, reduce fuel consumption, and lower emissions. 

Abengoa has developed similar facilities in Latin America and Europe but this project is the first of its kind to be built in the United States.