Italian combined cycle plant gets two GE LM6000-PD turbines

GE’s aeroderivative gas turbine technology has recently been installed at Tamarete Energia’s new, 104 MW combined-cycle plant near Ortona, Italy. The plant will generate enough power for approximately 34,500 Italian homes. GE’s flexible gas turbine technology, which helps integrate wind and solar energy into the grid, will allow the new plant to generate high-efficiency and environmentally friendly electrical power, balancing the reduction of contribution from wind and solar generation. The plant is located in the province of Chieti in Abruzzo.

Under the terms of the approximately $30 million-euro project, GE provided two LM6000-PD aeroderivative gas turbine generator packages and one 8-11 MC9 impulse-type, geared steam turbine-generator to STC SpA (Forli’, Italy). GE’s LM6000 aeroderivative technology provides greater flexibility through its fast-start capability (10 minutes from cold iron); daily/multiple startups with no impact on the equipment maintenance cost and through its low turndown level (approximately 25 percent of power plant capacity).

Patrizio Prunecchi, GE aero products commercial operations leader, EMEA for GE Power & Water said, “Under the European Union’s 20-20-20 initiative, the use of renewable energy has increased throughout Italy, and wind and solar power has been growing rapidly. Our technology can rapidly ramp up when the wind is not blowing or the sun is not shining and efficiently ramp down when they are available. As the need for electricity fluctuates throughout the day, this allows our customers to respond to these fluctuations while enabling them to integrate more renewables across the power grid.”