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Effective noise control solution
28 www.powerengineeringint.com
July/August 2012 - PEi
A sound investment
When CMS Danskin Acoustics was brought in to reduce dangerous noise levels at a UK power
station it had to create a tailor-made effcient and cost-effective solution.
T
he fact that power stations produce high levels of noise will not
come as much of a surprise to anyone who has spent more than a
few minutes inside one. However, just how dangerous these levels
of noise can be might.
To give you an idea of the sensitivity of the human ear, the average
person can hear sounds down to about 0 decibels (dB), the equivalent
of a whisper or rustling leaves, and people with exceptional hearing
can detect sounds as low as -15 dB.
It is at the other end of the scale, however, that serious problems
can occur. At around 85 dB, you are likely to experience discomfort.
As little as eight hours of continuous exposure to this level of noise can
result in permanent damage to the inner ear, which is why 85 dB is the
maximum allowed under the Noise at Work regulations.
At 100 dB, just 15 minutes of exposure can cause permanent
damage. And at 110 dB the exposure time drops to around a minute
before harm is inficted. Pain is experienced at 125 dB and hearing
loss can be permanent. At 140 dB or above not only is the damage
permanent, it is also immediate.
The Noise at Work regulations stipulate that an employer shall
ensure that risk from the exposure to noise is either eliminated at source
or, where this is not reasonably practicable, reduced to as low a level
as is reasonably practicable. And that if any employee is likely to
be exposed to noise at or above an upper exposure action value,
the employer shall reduce exposure to as low a level as is reasonably
practicable by establishing and implementing a programme of
organisational and technical measures, excluding the provision of
personal hearing protectors, which is appropriate to the activity.
In other words, an employer is expected to do everything they can,
within reason, to protect their employees from the harmful effects of
noise. And, no, it isn it enough to simply supply a pair of ear-defenders.
The damage caused by these dangerous levels of noise is referred
to as Noise-Induced Hearing Loss, and can be caused by a single
exposure to a very loud sound or by repeated exposure to even relatively
low levels of noise over a long time span. In fact, according to research
carried out by Xiaoming Zhou from the East China Normal University
in Shanghai, even seemingly innocuous sounds, such as the whirr of a
desk fan, can cause damage if exposure is consistent and long term.
The human ear does not hear all frequencies with the same intensity.
It is most sensitive to sounds in the 500 Hz to 8 kHz range. Above
and below this range the ear becomes progressively less sensitive. To
Paul Absolon, CMS Danskin Acoustics, UK
To investigate how to block noise emanating from a cooling system at the Uskmouth B power station, a simulation of the duct system was built
Effective noise control solution
PEi - July/August 2012 www.powerengineeringint.com 29
compensate for this, sound level meters incorporate electronic fltering
to correspond to the varying sensitivities of the ear. This fltering is
called A-weighting and readings obtained with this weighting are
referred to as A-weighted and signifed as dB(A).
TAILOR-MADE SOLUTION
Uskmouth B power station is a combined-cycle gas turbine plant near
Newport in Wales, built by Siemens and operated by Severn Power, a
subsidiary of Dong Energy.
Acoustics and soundproofng specialist CMS Danskin Acoustics
was brought in by Siemens and SPX Cooling Technologies after the
recorded noise coming from the dry cooling system was between
130 dB(A) and 135 dB(A), a full 50 dB above Noise at Work
regulations acceptable levels.
Although it was identifed that these dangerous and unacceptable
levels of noise came from the dry cooling system, the cooling system
was not creating the noise. In fact, the turbines proved to be the source
of the noise.
The steam roaring from the turbines at incredibly high speeds enters the
main 5.5 metre steam ducts, passes up fve risers and is channelled into
the steam distribution manifolds. Not only does the steam enter the dry
cooling system, the accompanying noise does, too. You might think that
the 8 mm thick steel from which the ducts are constructed would go some
way to containing the noise. Unfortunately, steel is extremely adept at
transmitting noise and is, in many respects, the acousticians worst enemy.
To make matters worse, we discovered not only high levels of noise,
but also that the noise generated had a very low-frequency bias.
Low-frequency noise is the most diffcult to treat from a soundproofng
perspective due to the excessive length of the wave cycle. This is one of
the reasons people in apartments, terraced houses and semi-detached
homes will often complain of the problems of bass noises intruding from
neighbouring properties, as the walls and foors flter out the higher
frequencies while the lower frequencies manage to penetrate. This can
seem a little counter-intuitive, as we imagine higher frequency noise to
be more piercing. Their short wave cycle, however, means they can be
blocked out with relatively thin soundproofng materials.
The low-frequency nature of the noise also meant that this was not
just a Noise at Work regulations problem. Low-frequency noise can be
particularly problematic to the population in the vicinity of the source
of that noise.
A NEW SOUND SOLUTION
Solutions for low-frequency noise issues typically involve wrapping
the problem in signifcant quantities of acoustic insulation, with many
standard solutions being as deep as 500 mm to 700 mm. The sheer
volume of lagging required for an insulation-based approach to a project
like Uskmouth, with a daunting 8000 m
2
of ducting to be covered, would
be expensive, time-consuming to install and prohibitively disruptive.
What is more, there were areas around the ducting at Uskmouth which
simply would not have been able to accommodate such an excessive
construction height of soundproofng material.
We had to create a thinner soundproofng system that would meet
the necessary Noise at Work regulations requirements but would be
cost-effective and effcient to install.
In order to minimise disruption at Uskmouth, an off-site simulation was
created near Burton-on-Trent, using a large section of identical ducting
with a door sealing up either end. Within the duct were several
very powerful speakers. For testing, highly sensitive microphones
were placed in strategic positions along the outside of the duct to
measure any leakage. Acoustic insulation solutions were conceived,
implemented and assessed in this controlled environment with the
assistance of acoustic consultants Muller-BBM and the installation
company Western Thermal Insulations.
Exploring a wide range of acoustic materials from CMS Danskin
Acoustics industrial acoustics range, it became clear that a single
product was not going to be able to solve the problem on its own,
so we opted for a combination of products working in concert, layer
upon layer.
The frst layer consisted of CMS HT1B elastomeric isolation pads,
constructed from a polyurethane-bound rubber granulate specifcally
formulated to dampen and/or isolate noise and vibrations at source
and independently tested by the Institute of Structural Dynamics at the
Technical University of Dresden, Germany. The 50 mm thick pads were
bonded to the surface of the duct at a rate of nine per m
2
, creating
CMS HT1B elastomeric isolation pads form the frst layer of acoustic insulation for Uskmouth Bs dry cooling system
Solutions for low-frequency noise issues
typically involve wrapping the problem in
signifcant quantities of acoustic insulation,
with many standard solutions being as deep as
500 mm to 700 mm
Effective noise control solution
30 www.powerengineeringint.com
July/August 2012 - PEi
300 mm spacings; so, as well as the dampening effects of the material
itself, the construction benefted from large, evenly distributed airspaces
in its foundations. Sound waves move less effectively through dead air.
The second layer consisted of 50 mm QuietSlab SVX3, a high-
performance, mineral-fbre acoustic lagging.
The third layer comprised CMS WBBKT acoustic barrier, a high-
density, barium-sulphate-loaded thermoplastic polymer, which is thin,
fexible and easy to work with. Whereas the QuietSlab SVX3 layer
is designed to absorb and dissipate noise, this dense acoustic barrier
is designed to resist the passage of noise and is particularly adept at
preventing the passage of low-frequency noise.
The forth layer duplicated the second, the ffth layer duplicated the
third and the sixth and fnal layer consisted of a corrosion-resistant
Aluzinc casing.
By alternating between thick noise-absorbent layers and thin but
dense noise-resistant layers, we were able to create a soundproofng
solution with a depth of just 170 mm between 66 per cent and
76 per cent thinner than a 500700 mm standard solution. However,
the successful reduction of the construction height would mean nothing
at all if it failed to deliver the necessary levels of noise reduction. The
proof would be in the testing.
Personnel from Siemens attended the test. They were standing in
relatively close proximity to the simulated duct while technicians from
Muller-BBM set up their equipment. As always with these situations,
there were delays, so the Siemens team were standing around for
quite some time. Naturally, they were a little impatient and asked when
the test was going to commence. They were told the test had been
running for the last ten minutes. The speakers within the ducts had been
generating noise levels of 130140 dB and no-one had noticed. Only
when the lagging protecting the door to the duct was removed could
the true extent of the racket within be appreciated.
The testing revealed that CMS Danskin Acoustics solution cut the
noise generated by 39 per cent to just 8283 dB(A), well under the
85 dB required by the Noise at Work regulations.
Peter Ullrich, project director at Siemens Energy, says: Effectively
controlling noise and reducing sound emissions was a top priority for us
in the Uskmouth project. Not only was it essential that the dry cooling
system satisfed all the legal acoustic obligations and regulations but
just as important was that neighbouring properties were not disturbed
by additional noise levels.
Paul Absolon is techncial director of CMS Danskin Acoustics, a
specialist in acoustic insulation, sound absorption and reverberation.
For more information, visit www.cmsdanskin.co.uk
Paul Absolon, technical director, CMS Danskin Acoustics, UK
HOW HEARING WORKS
To understand how Noise-Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL) occurs, it
is necessary to understand how hearing works.
The generally accepted view is that sound waves strike
the eardrum and these vibrations are translated into coherent
information by the brain. It is more complex than that.
Sound waves do, indeed, strike the eardrum, causing the
eardrum to vibrate. These vibrations are then transmitted through
the ossicles (the small bones of the middle ear) to the cochlea, a
spiral-shaped chamber flled with fuid and lined with tiny hair cells
called stereocilia.
The vibrations cause the fuid to move which, in turn, causes
the stereocilia to move. The stereocilias movements generate
neural signals with are picked up by the auditory nerve which
forwards these signals onto the brain where they are interpreted
as intelligible sounds such as human speech, music, the beep of
a car horn.
Exposure to harmful levels of noise can damage the stereocilia,
breaking them or fattening them so they no longer vibrate as
effectively or so they no longer vibrate at all. The result: impaired
hearing or, in extreme cases, total hearing loss.
Low frequency noise is often not even heard in the traditional
sense. Complainants often will not even realise that noise is the
problem at all; instead they will describe pressure sensations and
physical discomfort, experiencing the incursion as vibrations.
Areas of the human body can resonate when exposed to low
frequencies. The chest, for example, can resonate at frequencies
between 50 Hz and 100 Hz, and the head at frequencies
between 20 Hz and 30 Hz. It is not unusual, therefore, for
sufferers of low frequency noise to complain of anxiety, nausea
and headaches. Often, they will not even be aware of the root
cause of their symptoms, instead attributing them to a virus or some
mystery illness.
A combination of materials in layers was the chosen soundproofng solution at Uskmouth B
By alternating thick noise-absorbent layers
with thin-but-dense noise-resistant layers, CMS
Danskin Acoustics created a soundproofng
solution with a depth of just 170 mm
Conference & Exhibition
6 - 8 November 2012
Sandton Convention Centre
Johannesburg, Republic of South Africa
www.powergenafrica.com
GLOBAL
TECHNOLOGY FOR
LOCAL SOLUTIONS
Owned and Produced by: Presented by:
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION AND TO REGISTER PLEASE VISIT
WWW.POWERGENAFRICA.COM
ABOUT POWER-GEN AFRICA
POWER-GEN Africa is a unique forum for the industry,
combining both a world class three-track conference covering
strategic, technical and renewable aspects with an exhibition
showcasing the latest technological developments. This premier
event will attract senior decision makers, enabling you to make
crucial contacts within the sub-Saharan energy industry.
With POWER-GEN Africas conference and exhibition focusing
on all aspects of the power industry and bringing together
the worlds leading power equipment suppliers with those
developing power infrastructure in this dynamic region of the
world, this is one event you cannot afford to miss.
CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS
Over the 3 days the inaugural POWER-GEN Africa will provide
comprehensive coverage of the power needs, resources,
and issues facing the electricity generation industries across
sub-Saharan Africa including various highlights such as:
OPENING KEYNOTE SESSION
Speakers include:
Ms. Elizabeth Dipuo Feters, Minister oI Energy, South AIrica
Mr. Brian Dames, ChieI Executive OIIcer, Eskom, South AIrica
Co-located with:
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Scottish independence: Impact on UK power sector
32 www.powerengineeringint.com
July/August 2012 - PEi
Independence day dilemmas
If Scotland gains independence from the rest of the UK, what will it mean for the British energy
industry, as the lions share of oil, gas, nuclear and renewable resources lie within its territory?
T
he subject of Scotlands independence from England is one of the
hot topics of the year so far in UK politics, but it is one that many
outside of Britain may not be aware of.
Yet if Scotland gains independence, it will have a profound effect
on the UKs energy market, European countries that trade power with
Britain and international energy companies that choose to locate within
its shores.
The Scottish National Party (SNP) has argued for an independent
Scotland for years and when, in 2011, it won an overall majority in
the Scottish parliament devolved in 1999 the subject was pushed
to the top of the political agenda.
Now the SNP is demanding a referendum on the matter and in
January 2012, the UKs prime minister David Cameron stated that he
would agree to let the Scots vote on the matter. All that remains to be
set is a date.
Needless to say, the UK parliament in Westminster is far from keen
on Scottish independence for all sorts of reasons, but it is realising that
what was once a pipe dream could soon become a reality.
The enormous success of the SNP in the last few years means
that we now have to take the possibility of Scottish independence
seriously, says Tim Yeo, chairman of the governments Energy and
Climate Change Committee. Before it has been hypothetical but
no longer.
The implications of independence are huge, and one of the key
areas vexing the minds of those in Westminster at the moment is energy.
Much of the UKs offshore oil and gas reserves lie in the North Sea
in what would become Scottish waters, while more than half of the
UKs operational nuclear power stations are north of the border. And
Scotland is one of the renewables powerhouses of Europe, home to the
best of the UKs wind and wave power potential.
Kelvin Ross, Deputy Editor
Scottish independence: Impact on UK power sector
PEi - July/August 2012 www.powerengineeringint.com 33
So the stakes are high and Camerons government wants to know
what Scotland has planned for any post-independence energy mix.
Some answers to these thorny questions were given when the Energy
and Climate Change Committee held a series of evidence sessions to
quiz key players from the UK and European energy markets, as well
as members of the Scottish government. And for much of time, the
committee members did not like what they heard, particularly on the
subject of the decommissioning of nuclear and oil and gas assets.
When asked if Scotland would take on the decommissioning costs for
the nuclear reactors lying within its borders, Fergus Ewing, Scotlands
energy minister, gave a yes-and-no answer. He said Scotland would
pay a percentage of the decommissioning costs based of the lifetime
of the reactor post-independence.
We take the view that these nuclear power plants were set up by
the UK, and therefore, if we take Torness for example, if there are ten
years to go and 30 years have elapsed, then we have one quarter
of the decommissioning costs. Some apportionment of that sort would
seem to me to be reasonable.
He applied the same rule of thumb to the decommissioning of oil and
gas rigs in the North Sea, having already conceded that the value
of Scotlands oil and gas reserves are absolutely extraordinary. He
said that as the lions share of remaining oil and gas would accrue to
Scotland as they fell within [its] international waters, that in turn would
make Scotland an exceptionally wealthy country.
INVESTOR CONFIDENCE
Yeo asked Ewing if he agreed that the drive towards independence by
the SNP has had the unfortunate consequence of creating a degree
of uncertainty [among investors], and an industry like energy depends
entirely on investors making very long-term decisions?
Ewing was emphatic: No I dont agree with that. Ever since last
May there has been very substantial investment in the Scottish energy
sector and these decisions show that there is not a lack of confdence
in Scotland.
To stress his point he named a list of companies which have taken
key strategic decisions to locate in Scotland: Gamesa spending
125 million ($196 million) to build a base in Leith rather than in
Hartlepool in England; Samsung setting up in Fife with an investment
of another 125 million; and Global Energy in Nigg, creating up
to 2000 jobs frst in oil and gas and then in renewables. Would
these decisions have been made if the world was afraid of coming to
Scotland? I dont think so, he said.
Yet there are many that disagree with Ewings view. In November
2011, global fnance organisation Citigroup published a report into
the potential impact of Scottish independence into investment into the
countrys renewable energy sector. It claimed that the independence
referendum debate was creating huge uncertainty and added that if
independence was to happen, renewable investors risk seeing their
assets stranded in a newly independent Scotland.
The report concluded: Utilities and other investors should exercise
extreme caution in committing further capital to Scotland.
Several months on, Citigroup has not changed its mind. Citigroup
Global Markets head of European utility sector research Peter Atherton
says of renewables: We are talking about a sector here that is
highly regulated and highly subsidised. The most important thing for
a company to make a decision on whether to build an onshore or
offshore wind farm is the subsidy regime. We have a UK-wide subsidy
There are nearly 100 onshore wind farms in Scotland, forming the backbone of the countrys renewable targets
When youre talking about multi-billion
projects, if you dont have a 100 per cent
guarantee that the support mechanism will be
legally binding for a couple of decades, then
you cannot and will not make the investment
Stevens Croft biomass power plant in Scotland is operated by Germanys E.ON Source: E.ON
Scottish independence: Impact on UK power sector
34 www.powerengineeringint.com
July/August 2012 - PEi
regime, so if Scotland secedes from the rest of the UK, it is questionable
whether that regime continues, and therefore there is an element of risk.
When you are talking about multi-billion projects with offshore wind
and hundreds of millions with onshore wind, clearly if you dont have a
100 per cent guarantee that the support mechanism will be acceptable
and legally binding and in place for at least a couple of decades, then
you absolutely cannot and will not make the investment.
He adds that all the corporates [that are] involved in investing
in offshore wind in Scotland that Citigroup has spoken to in recent
months have said that they will not progress with their projects until
that certainty is in place.
Indeed, Atherton states that the SNPs two fagship policies the
drives for both independence and a massive boost in renewable
energy are not actually compatible.
The Scottish government has big plans, he says, and have decided
that by 2020 Scotland will be producing around 45 per cent of the
overall UK renewables target, with a total price tag of 45 billion. Its
that leap which is questionable it would be questionable even if the
constitutional position doesnt change, but its highly questionable if the
constitutional position does change, because whos going to provide
the 4 billion of subsidies to fnance those assets?
He adds: If the UK parliament decides that the entire UK consumer
base is happy to stand behind that, as we are currently, then investors
will invest.
But if the counter party to the agreement is Scotland without the
agreement of the 92 per cent of the population that is not Scotland,
then I see it as nigh-on impossible for that investment to be forthcoming.
SSE, formerly Scottish & Southern Energy and based in Scotland,
has also said there is an increased risk that it will decide not to
start building new power stations and wind farms in Scotland before
the referendum.
It said earlier this year the additional uncertainty represents
increased risk, of which SSE will have no alternative but to take account
when making fnal investment decisions on those projects while that
additional uncertainty remains.
SSE stressed that it believes energy infrastructure, like pipelines and
pylons, should be shared across England and Scotland whether or
independence happens or not.
The date for a referendum on Scottish independence has not been
set the SNP wants it in 2014 but Camerons government in Whitehall
believes it should be held much sooner. Whenever it happens, the
power industry will await the result with keen interest and perhaps a
degree of trepidation.
Ready to go to the polls: Scotlands First Minister Alex Salmond and his deputy, Nicola Sturgeon, want to give Scotlands population a referendum on independence in 2014 Source: SNP
Ever since last May there has been very
substantial investment in the Scottish energy
sector and these decisions show that there is
not a lack of confdence in Scotland
AFRICA FOCUS
Ethiopia: Reliance
on hydro to rise P.36
In the frst instalment of a two-part special report on
Sub-Saharan Africa, we analyse the power sector challenges
and opportunities in three fast-developing countries.
TANZANIA
ETHIOPIA
ZAMBIA
Tanzania: A power
mix in motion P.38
Zambia: Private
fnance is key P.40
36 www.powerengineeringint.com
July/August 2012 - PEi
Hydropower is the prime
driver of electricity in
Ethiopia and despite
moves to incorporate
other renewables into its
energy mix, the countrys
reliance on its rivers is
only going to intensify.
Water, water
everywhere
Africa Focus: Ethiopia
E
Hydropower generated from Ethiopias 100 000 km
2
of
water supplies a vast and growing slice of its power.
Source: EEPCO
thiopia is a country growing
at considerable pace. Its gross
domestic product was $12.3
billion in 2005, and by 2016 this
fgure is expected to more than
quadrouple to $50.6 billion.
At the same time, its
population is set to rise from 74.6 million in
2005 to 97.4 million in three years time.
All of which means a surge in infrastructure
and, in turn, a greater demand for power.
According to the Ethiopian Electric Power
Corporation (EEPCO), demand for electricity
grew by 24 per cent in 2011. An aggressive
transmission and distribution (T&D) expansion
plan by EEPCO has raised the electricity
access rate from 22 per cent in 2007 to
46 per cent last year. By 2016, EEPCO plans
to increase this to 75 per cent and the
government hopes to have 100 per cent
access by 2020.
Such ambitious targets place a heavy
burden on EEPCO, which is state-owned and
the only provider of power in the country, to
try and broaden and strengthen Ethiopias
energy mix which at the moment is no
mix at all. Nearly all electricity 90 per
cent is provided via hydropower, making
use of Ethiopias many rivers. The country
the 27th largest in the world covers
1104 million km, of which 104,300 km is
water. It has 12 basins: eight river basins, one
lake basin and three dry basins, with no or
insignifcant fow out of the drainage system.
While this gives the country a non-polluting
and, in theory, renewable form of energy, it
makes the system reliant on the volatility of
cyclical water levels, which can be erratic in
a country that suffers intense sunshine.
Hydropower generation rose from
2969 GWh in 2005 to 4927 GWh in 2011 and
by 2020 it is expected to hit 14,293 GWh.
But the countrys total hydropower potential
is believed to be around 45 000 GWh
meaning most is still untapped.
A slew of new hydropower projects
are underway, including the Grand
Millennium hydropower project, which once
completed will have an installed capacity of
5250 MW and is expected to enable
Ethiopia to become a major power exporter
Plant name Capacity (MW) Status
Ashegoda 90 Under construction
Adama 51 Under construction
Mosebo Harena 42 Planned
Ayisha 300 Planned
Galema 250 Planned
Debre Birhan 100 Planned
Assela 100 Planned
Ethiopia upcoming wind projects
(Source: GlobalData)
PEi - July/August 2012 www.powerengineeringint.com 37
Africa Focus: Ethiopia
in sub-Saharan Africa. Also being built is the
1870 MW Gibe III, which at 243 metres tall will be
Africas highest dam. But the government and
EEPCO realise they cannot put all their eggs
in one basket and are looking at alternative
forms of power generation.
Ethiopia has no coal and gas fred power
stations but diesel engines supply 9.7 per cent
of its power mix.
Coal reserves are estimated at 320 million
tonnes while gas reserves are put at 24 billion
m
3
. The government hopes to tap into both
these reserves, but they are certain to take a
back seat to the focus on hydropower and
other renewables.
The push for renewables
At present, with 90 per cent of Ethiopias
energy coming from hydropower and
9.7 per cent from diesel-powered thermal, just
0.3 per cent is accounted for by renewables.
A tiny percentage, yes, but an important one,
as it is likely to grow substantially in the coming
years. Renewables are an option that is slowly
but surely being exploited by the government
and EEPCO.
For wind, EEPCO puts the countrys potential
capacity at 10 000 MW and it is taking the
frst steps to unlocking this. The frst phase of
the Ashegoda wind farm the countrys frst
became operational earlier this year. Once
completed by the end of the year, the facility
will total 30 MW.
Also under construction is the Adama
wind farm, which will have a capacity of
50 MW and is expected to be brought on
line next year. Another six wind farms are in
the planning stage, including Ayisha, with a
300 MW capacity, and the 250 MW Galema.
Geothermal is Ethiopias other targeted
source of renewable energy. The 7.3 MW Aluto-
Langano power station has been set up as
the countrys frst pilot plant. Recent reports
suggest that this capacity will be boosted to
70 MW by 2015.
Aluto-Langano is notable because it taps
into the power potential of the African Rift Valley,
which is accepted to have huge geothermal
potential. So far, only Ethiopia and Kenya have
tapped into this by successfully building a
geothermal plant.
Five more geothermal projects are in the
pipeline, all set for completion by 2018, bringing
installed capacity up to 375 MW.
Power giants take an interest
This push for renewables has opened up the
Ethiopian energy market to some major names
in the global power sector. GE is to invest in the
fedging wind sector. The frm has also said it
will play a role in a solar sector, should one ever
get off the ground Ethiopia currently has no
solar projects.
Andritz Hydro and Voith Hydro have
supplied turbines and generators for existing
hydropower projects, while Chinas Goldwind
has supplied 34 wind turbines to the Adama
wind farm, a joint venture between HydroChina
International Engineering and Chinese
construction frm CGCOC Corporation.
Meanwhile, Frances Vergnet has installed
30 turbines at the Ashegoda wind farm,
with fellow French company Alstom set to
Year Capacity (MW)
2005 859
2010 2099
2011 2099
2012 2229
2013 4195
2014 4498
2015 7355
2016 7355
2017 8667
2018 9980
2019 11 292
2020 12 605
Ethiopia installed and projected
capacity
(source: Global Data)
Domestic
38%
Industry
36%
Commercial
24%
Others
2%
Breakdown of Ethiopia electricity
consumption by sector
provide a further 54 units, which are due to
be operational by 2014.
All of this extra capacity means Ethiopia
is facing the same key issue as many other
countries worldwide, whether they be
developed or developing: that of transmission
and distribution. With that in mind, EEPCO has
devised the Electricity Transmission System
Improvement Project (ETSIP), a programme
that will comprise the construction of four 230
kV transmission lines, 12 substations and the
upgrade of another four substations.
The project is already underway, with Alstom
Grid winning a $44 million deal to build two
air-insulated substations. ABB has also won a
$26 million contract for the upgrade of the four
existing substations, which are all in the central
region of the country. The work is expected to
be completed by next year.
Ethiopia has also contracted Power Grid
Corporation of India to undertake a feasibility
study to determine the highest needed voltage
power capacities of the countrys transmission
lines. The study will be conducted taking into
consideration the power generation capacity
of the country for the next 25 years. It is
expected to be completed by the end of this
year and will cost $225,000.
In June, the South Korean government
granted Ethiopia a loan of $80 million to
support part of the EthiopiaSudan electric
power transmission line construction and
expansion project. The transmission line will be
an expansion of the Beles-Bahir Dar-Sululta line
and is 212 km long with a capacity of 400 kV.
Assuming all this T&D work is successfully
carried out, not only will Ethiopia be able to
better serve its own population, it will also
be in a position to boost its electricity export
potential.
Landlocked by Eritrea, Djibouti, Somalia,
Kenya, Sudan and South Sudan, Ethiopia
is eyeing exporting electricity to all of the
aforementioned countries. Already it has
interconnections with Djibouti, Kenya and North
Sudan, and has agreements to export 200 MW,
500 MW and another 200 MW respectively.
It has also signed a similar deal for a
yet unspecifed amount of electricity with
South Sudan and is also planning exports to
Tanzania, Somalia and Yemen and Egypt.
If Ethiopia can succeed in exporting power
to these nations, it will be a very canny move.
Egypt and Kenya are large economies with
large power demands, and it could be very
lucrative for Ethiopia to be providing them
with electricity.
38 www.powerengineeringint.com
July/August 2012 - PEi
Tanzania is working to
diversify its energy mix,
until recently dominated
by hydro but now
including both coal and
gas fred power assets.
Could renewables be the
next target?
Power mix
in motion
Africa Focus: Tanzania
T
In theory, Tanzania is in better shape than many
of its neighbours to tackle its power issues
Credit: Dreamstime
anzania is one of the largest
West African countries in terms
of land mass and population.
Like many of the African
nations, its economy is growing
at a considerable rate: its GDP
last year was $23.2 billion and
by 2016 it is forecast to reach $34.2 billion,
while its population is expected to grow from
42 million to 46 million in the same period.
All of which has left Tanzanias power sector
playing catch up. The countrys electricity
access rate is 11 per cent, with 30 per cent of
the urban population having access, but in
rural areas the fgure is as low as 2 per cent.
Last month the government confrmed it is
to spend $3 million on increasing supply to
these rural regions.
Tanzanias installed capacity was 1311 MW
in 2011 and is expected to reach 2713 MW
by 2020.
In theory, Tanzania is in better shape than
many of its neighbours to tackle its power
issues: its economy has been fairly resilient
during the economic downturn and a
stable political environment has resulted in
an increase in foreign direct investment of
8.5 per cent, while the rest of Africa has seen
an average decrease of 9 per cent.
Yet the development of the power sector
has stalled, largely due to the countrys lack
of transmission infrastructure. Transmission
and distribution (T&D) is operated by state-
owned Tanzania Electric Supply Company
(Tanseco) and losses in the country stand
at 26 per cent.
Investment barriers
As well as T&D infrastructure issues, Tanzania
also suffers from low electricity tariffs. Strict
government control over tariffs has kept
electricity prices at market demand or
operational cost levels, which has served to
act as a barrier to potential investors. This
year, Tanesco asked for a rate increase of
150 per cent it got 42.29 per cent.
Tanescos state-ownership is the source of
many of the bottlenecks in the power sector,
as red tape has held up the expansion of
generation, transmission and distribution.
Some power sector experts have called for
the deregulation of the distribution sector to
speed up the spread of power connections,
with Tanesco remaining in charge of
transmission.
Tanzanias power mix is by African
standards changing quite rapidly. In 2005,
Name Status Fuel Capacity (MW) Online
Kiwira Under construction Coal 200 2013
Stieglers Gorge Planned Hydro 2100 2015
Kinyerezi Under construction Gas 240 2013
Mnazi Bay Planned Gas 300 2017
Ngaka Planned Coal 400 2024
Tanzania key upcoming power projects
(source: Global Data)
PEi - July/August 2012 www.powerengineeringint.com 39
65 per cent of its electricity was derived from
hydro, while 21 per cent came from thermal
oil and 13.9 per cent from thermal gas.
By last year, this had changed to hydro
accounting for 42.9 per cent and thermal
57.1 per cent. And by 2020 these fgures
are expected to have shifted further, to
hydro 44.7 per cent, thermal oil 9.2 per cent,
thermal gas 38.6 per cent, and thermal coal
7.6 per cent.
The drop in hydropower is due to a
decline in rainfall in the country since 2005,
which forced the government to look at
alternative forms of energy and propelled
a rise of thermal, exploiting the countrys
largely untapped reserves.
Tanzanias coal reserves are estimated
to total 1200 million tonnes, while its natural
gas reserves are said to be 45 billion m
3
.
Last year, coal fred generation only
accounted for 0.8 per cent of total installed
thermal capacity, but this will change when
the Kiwira power plant comes on line in
2013. Kiwira will use locally mined coal and
its connection to the grid is expected to lift
Tanzanias thermal installed capacity from
749 MW to 1189 MW.
Thermal power growth
Tanzania currently has nine large-scale
thermal power plants, six of them coal fred
and three oil fred, which together contribute
700 MW of capacity. The largest in capacity
terms is the 178 MW Ubungo power station,
which came on line in 2004.
There are also ten major thermal
projects either planned or already under
construction. The biggest of the planned
plants is Ngaka coal fred power station,
which will feature steam turbines, and once
on line in 2024 will have a total installed
capacity of 400 MW.
Projects due to be operational a lot sooner
include two more coal plants Kiwira and
Intra Energy which are both expected on
line next year, as is the 240 MW gas fred
Kinyerezi plant.
As its thermal power capacity increases,
Tanzania hopes to be able to transform into a
power exporter, supplying electricity to Kenya
and Ethiopia. On the import front, Tanzania
buys in power from Uganda (10 MW), Zambia
(3 MW) and Kenya (0.8 MW).
Despite the drive towards thermal power,
Tanzania is still pushing ahead with new
hydro projects.
In 2011, the country generated 562 MW
from hydropower, which came from seven
hydro plants. The largest is the 204 MW
Kidatu power station, which came on line in
1980. The countrys oldest hydro plant is the
21 MW Hale, which has been in operation for
nearly 50 years.
There is also strong potential for small-
scale hydro capacity, with 85 sites with a
projected 87 MW identifed for exploration.
Tanzania currently has no renewable
power generation, even though it has
potential for solar, wind and biomass. Its
potential wind capacity is put at 500 MW.
The lack of renewable capacity can be put
down to a lack of government feed-in tariffs,
which deters any private investment.
Power players
The biggest generator of electricity in
Tanzania is state-owned Tanesco, which
also owns and runs all T&D operations in the
country. Tanesco has an installed capacity
of 755.7 MW, accounting for 54.8 per cent of
the market.
Just over three quarters of this comes
from hydropower, 20.5 per cent from natural
gas and 1.2 per cent from diesel based
generation. The remaining 45.2 per cent is
made up of independent power producers,
including Songas, Independent Power
Tanzania and TPC.
Suppliers of power equipment to these
companies comprise most of the usual
suspects from around the world: GE, ABB,
Wartsila, Voith Hydro, Dresser Rand and
Caterpillar.
Tanzania faces the same power problem
as most of its neighbours an energy mix
and grid infrastructure that is insuffcient
to meet the needs of a rapidly expanding
population and economy.
Yet the country is well underway with
efforts to diversify its energy mix, opening the
door to more international frms, and this
combined with an eventual bid to harness
some of its renewable energy potential
should also open the door to signifcant
foreign investment.
Deputy minister for Energy and Minerals,
George Simbachawene, said in July that
Tanzania expects to spend over $3 million
on supplying power to rural areas.
This, he added, was part of the
governments strategy to boost power use to
30 per cent by 2015.
He said the government intends to
increase power generation from 1375 MW
to 2500 MW by 2015, and this increase in
capacity would be brought about by the
inclusion of solar, wind and geothermal
sources of energy.
And in August, the Ministry of Industry
and Trade Gregory Teu pledged to improve
electricity availability by further investing in
coal fred power generation.
Africa Focus: Tanzania
Year Capacity (MW) Annual Generation (GWh)
2005 862 3514
2010 1151 4378
2015 2129 7218
2020 2713 9695
Tanzania installed capacity and annual generation
(source: Global Data)
Year Capacity Thermal Coal Gas Oil Hydro
2005 862 34.9 0 13.9 21 65.1
2010 1151 51.2 0.5 34.2 16.4 48.8
2011 1311 57.1 0.5 37.7 19 42.9
2015 2129 55.8 9.7 34.5 11.7 44.2
2020 2713 55.3 7.6 38.6 9.3 44.7
Tanzania power mix as % of total installed capacity
(source: Global Data)
40 www.powerengineeringint.com
July/August 2012 - PEi
T
Hydropower will continue
to dominate the energy
mix, but coal becomes
the main thermal source.
However, more action is
required to address the
widening supply-demand
gap, with private investors
being key.
Private investment
holds the key
Africa Focus: Zambia
Zambias abundent water resources mean that
hydropower will remain the main generation resource
he World Bank, in 2010,
identifed Zambia as one
of the fastest economically
reformed countries in the
world. Its economy has shown
high growth in recent years.
The countrys GDP stood at
$7.2 billion in 2005, rising to over
$18 billion in 2011. By 2016, it is forecast to
reach $29.7 billion. Over the same period,
Zambias population is expected to rise from
11.7 million in 2005 to 15.4 million in 2016.
Thus, the potent combination of an
increasing population and strong GDP growth
is likely to drive up power consumption. In
2011, electricity consumption was estimated
at 8217 GWh, and is expected to grow to
more than 10,700 GWh in 2016, primarily
driven by the rising power demand of the
mining sector.
One restraining factor is Zambias very low
electrifcation rate a national rate of 19 per
cent but only 3 per cent in rural areas. The
government, however, is now making efforts
to address this through its Rural Electrifcation
Master Plan (REMP), which has the highly
ambitious target of increasing the rate to 51
per cent by 2030. But this comes with a hefty
price tag of $1.1 billion.
Between 2005 and 2011, Zambias installed
capacity increased very little, reaching
1707 MW, a result of a lack of government
investment in power infrastructure. By 2020,
however, total installed capacity is expected
to almost double to 3211 MW.
Its annual power production in 2005 stood
at 8846 GWh. Between 2005 and 2011,
production rose to over 8960 GWh and is
expected to hit 16,207 GWh in 2020.
Currently, hydropower has by far the biggest
share of the power generation mix (over
95 per cent), with thermal power trailing at
0.5 per cent. It is not surprising that hydro is
the dominant generation source because
Zambia is estimated to hold 40 per cent of
the total water resources in the Southern
African Development Community. By 2020,
however, there will be a shift in the power mix.
Hydros share will decrease to 86 per cent,
while thermals share will rise to 14 per cent.
The major player in the Zambia power sector
is Zesco Limited. It is a vertically integrated
state-owned utility which owns the majority
of the countrys generation, transmission and
distribution infrastructure.
The other main industry participant is LHPC,
a privately-owned power producer. It owns
and operates two small hydropower plants
outside the Central Province town of Kabwe.
All of the power generated is supplied to
Zesco on contractual terms.
In 2010, Zesco had an estimated share
of 98 per cent of total cumulative installed
capacity, with the remaining 2 per cent was
held by LHPC.
Shifting power mix
Although Zambia has a hydro potential
of approximately 6000 MW, capacity has
remained relatively static at 1700 MW
since 2005, with the 990 MW Kafue Gorge
plant constituting the bulk of the countrys
hydropower output.
By 2020 hydro installed capacity is
expected to increase to 2761 MW, mainly
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42 www.powerengineeringint.com
July/August 2012 - PEi
due to a number of large hydropower
plants coming on line. The Kariba North
Extension (360 MW), which is presently
under construction, is expected to become
operational 201213, with the 120 MW Itezhi
Tezhi, also under construction, commissioned
by 2015. A number of other hydo plants with
a combined capacity of more than 900
MW are also in the planning stage. Thus,
Zambias hydropower generation in 2011
stood at 8935 GWh and is forecast to reach
14,512 GWh in 2020
Zambias thermal installed capacity was
estimated at 7 MW in 2011, with all plants
using diesel as the primary fuel. However,
up to 2020 thermal capacity is expected
to undergo an unprecedented increase to
reach 450 MW. This is primarily due to the
anticipated commissioning of two large coal
fred power plants by Maamba Collieries. The
power plants will use coal as the primary
fuel, so it will overtake diesel as the main
thermal fuel. In 2011, thermal generation
was 26 GWh, and this is expected to rise to
1695 GWh in 2020.
Zambia has signifcant potential to develop
renewable energy sources. In geothermal, it
has 80 hot springs, of which 35 have been
identifed to have real commercial potential.
In1987, the Italian government developed the
Kapishya Hot Springs, but it never became
operational. Now, Zesco, in collaboration with
Ken Gen, has decided to revive the 2 MW
project and is currently seeking a $12 million
investment.
Zambias potential output for solar is
5.5 kWh/m
2
/day. The government has
incorporated the use of solar energy into its
rural electrifcation programme and currently
around 400 households have been provided
with photovoltaic systems under the Energy
Service Companies pilot project in three
districts of Eastern Province.
In contrast, the countrys wind potential is
relatively low.
A widening supply-demand gap
Back in 2006, Zambias peak electricity
demand was 1414 MW, against which
electricity supply stood at 1630 MW,
representing a reserve capacity of 15.3 per
cent. However, since 2010 the situation has
worsened, as peak electricity demand rose
to 1604 MW against an available capacity
of 1200 MW, essentially wiping out the
reserve margin.
With a projected growth in demand
for electricity the reserve margin issue
will become a chronic problem unless
the government focuses on increasing
generation capacity at a much faster rate
and, arguably more importantly, promotes
greater private investment in the sector. If
nothing is done Zambia will be unable to
mitigate the negative impact of an ever-
widening gap between supply and demand.
Foreign direct investment
Over the last few years, Zambia has made
signifcant progress in strengthening its
investment policies. In the early 1990s, the
government formulated initiatives to liberalize
its trade regime and in 1992 promoted a
privatization programme, targeting a few
small companies. In 2004, Zambia formed
the Private Sector Development Reform
Programme (PSDRP) with the aim of attaining
faster and sustained growth by promoting a
favorable investment scenario.
Between 2005 and 2007, foreign direct
investment came close to quadrupling from
$357 million to $1324 million, but fell away in
both 2008 and 2009 to $695 million, with the
worldwide recession likely to have played a
part in the decline. However, in 2010 it rose
again to $1041 million.
The government also put in place a
number of incentives for priority sectors,
which includes the power sector. The
construction of power plants, for example,
qualifes for tax concessions. The concessions
are applicable not only at the time of
construction but also after commissioning.
There is, however, a signifcant constraint to
attracting greater foreign direct investment
and that is although the cost of producing
power is low so is the consumer tariff. Zambia,
in fact, has one of the lowest tariffs in Africa,
and falls below the standard price range of
$0.05 to $0.10/kWh. This obviously means low
returns, which are less attractive to investors.
The government has not indicated it is looking
at reviewing tariffs - unlikely to be popular with
the electorate - but without exploring options
to boost returns on investment Zambias
power sector will struggle to encourage both
domestic and foreign investment.
There is another option open to Zambia
to help bridge the supply-demand gap. And
that is through the development of regional
power trade via the Southern African Power
Pool. This would enable Zambia to import
more, and importantly cheap, electricity
from the neighbouring Democratic Republic
of Congo (DRC) via an existing 220 kV
interconnection. Thus, the government has
to make a strategic decision on whether
to develop strong domestic generation
infrastructure or promote strong cross-border
interconnection with the DRC.
POWER-GEN Africa
PennWell Corporation is, for the frst time,
holding a POWER-GEN event on the African
continent. POWER-GEN Africa Conference &
Exhibition is taking place in Johannesburg,
South Africa, between 6-8 November 2012.
Year
Capacity
(MW)
Annual generation
(GWh)
2005 1700 8846
2010 1679 8814
2015 2479 12 570
2020 3211 16 207
Installed capacity and annual
generation (source: GlobalData, EIA)
Name Status Fuel Capacity (MW) Online
Maamba Phase I Coal 300 2014
Maamba Phase I I Coal 300 NA
Itezhi Tezhi Under construction Hydro 120 2015-2016
Kariba North Extension Hydro 360 2012-2013
Kundabwik Planned Hydro 151 2016-2017
Kafue Gorge Lower Planned Hydro 750 NA
Zambia key upcoming power projects
(source: GlobalData, Power eTrack, Power Plant Database)
Africa Focus: Zambia
i
For more information, please visit
www.powergenafrica.com
PEi - July/August 2012 www.powerengineeringint.com 43
DIARY DATES
September
International Conference on
Power and Energy Engineering
1st 2nd September
Phuket, Thailand
www.icpee.org
Energy Challenge and
Environmental Sustainability
9th 12th September
Venice, Italy
www.iaeeu2012.it
The Energy Event
11th 12th September
Birmingham, UK
www.theenergyevent.com
Energy from Waste
17th 18th September
London, UK
www.smi-online.co.uk
HUSUM WindEnergy
18th 22nd September
Husum, Germany
www.husumwindenergy.com
Nanotechnology Applications
in Energy
20th 21st September
West Java, Indonesia
www.naee2012.org
The Important Role of DSO in
Smart Grids
21st September
Frankfurt, Germany
www.eurelectric.org
27th EU PVSEC
24th 28th September
Frankfurt, Germany
www.photovoltaic-conference.
com
DistribuTECH Brasil
25th 27th September
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
www.distributechbrasil.com
HydroVision Brasil
25th 27th September
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
www.hydrovisionbrasil.com
RENEXPO
27th 30th September
Augsburg, Germany
www.renexpo.de
October
Power Generation and the
Environment: Choices and
Economic Trade Offs
1st 2nd October
Wyoming, Us
www.uwyo.edu
POWER-GEN Asia
3rd 5th October
Bangkok, Thailand
www.powergenasia.com
Renewable Energy World Asia
3rd 5th October
Bangkok, Thailand
www.renewableenergy
world-asia.com
Scottish Low Carbon Investment
Conference
10th 11th October
Edinburgh, UK
www.slciconference.com
Energy Solutions Expo
10th 11th October
London, UK
www.energysolutionsexpo.co.uk
VGB Congress Power Plants
2012
10th 12th October
Mannheim, Germany
www.vgb.org
Smart Metering rollout: next
steps for delivery
18th October
London, UK
www.westminsterforumprojects.
co.uk
World Energy Forum 2012
22rd 24th October
Dubai, UAE
www.worldenergyforum2012.
org
POWERCON 2012
23rd 26th October
Auckland, New Zealand
www.ieee.org
Global Energy 2012
29th 31st October
Geneva, Switzerland
www.globalenergygeneva.com
November
Arab Renewable Energy
Congress
6th 7th November
Dubai, UAE
www.greenpowerconferences.
com
Biofuels: Progress on Adoption
and the Next Generation
8th November
London,UK
www.westminsterforumprojects.
co.uk
Delivering the Renewable Heat
Incentive
13th November
London, UK
www.westminsterforumprojects.
co.uk
West African Power Industry
Convention
12th 14th November
Lagos, Nigeria
www.wapicforum.com
Fourth International Symposium
on Energy from Biomass and
Waste
12th 15th November
Venice, Italy
www.venicesymposium.it
Australian Institute of Energy
National Conference
19th 20th November
Sydney, Australia
www.aie2012.com
Offshore Wind Power Europe
27th 29th November
Hamburg, Germany
www.greenpowerconferences.
com
The EU Emissions Trading System:
progress, global issues and
Phase III
29th November
London, UK
www.westminsterforumprojects.
co.uk
3rd Annual Nigeria Energy and
Power Summit
29th 30th November
Abuja, Nigeria
www.nigeriaenergyandpower.
com
December
International Renewable Energy
Congress
20th 22th December
Sousse, Tunisia
www.irec.cmerp.net
3rd Annual Battery Safety
2012
6th 7th December
Las Vegas, US
www.knowledgefoundation.com
2012 International Conference
on Power Science and
Engineering
29-30 December
Hong Kong
www.icpse.org
January
3rd International Conference on
Electrical, Electronics and Civil
Engineering
4-5 January
Bali, Indonesia
www.psrcentre.org
2013 International Conference
on Electrical Energy and
Networks Conference
19th-20th January
Singapore
www.iceen.org/
2nd International Conference
on Clean and Green Energy
Conference Engineering
19th-20th January
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
www.iccge.org/
GensetRoundup
PEi - July/August 2012 44 www.powerengineeringint.com
GE targets Africa with PowerXpand products
MHI boxes clever with
power system in container
GE has introduced its PowerXpand
Portfolio which is designed for
companies looking to address
temporary power needs or in search
of permanent power in a pinch.
The portfolio consists of GEs
TM2500 and TM2500+ mobile
aeroderivative gas turbine
generator sets, the Jenbacher J320
containerised gas engine generator
set and the V250/V228 diesel engine
generator sets.
Darryl Wilson, president of
aeroderivative gas turbines for
GE Power & Water, said: Our
PowerXpand portfolio is ideal
to provide a base load bridge to
permanent power, for generating
backup power to support natural
disaster relief, plant shutdowns
or equipment maintenance or for
overcoming generation constraints
such as hydropower shortages.
In April 2011, Greeces EXPO
Power Systems purchased a
TM2500+ gas turbine generator set
to meet the summer peak power
needs of the electricity grid on the
island of Rhodes.
The Rhodes TM2500+ gas turbine
generator set was commissioned
within 11 days of arrival and ready to
provide a fast, permanent source of
power generation.
GE says the PowerXpand portfolio
is particularly relevant in Africa,
where economic growth is leading to
an increase in energy demand.
Total electrifcation rates for the
continent, which vary from country
to country, still sit well below 50 per
cent.
In many areas where energy
is available, aging infrastructure
and limited energy production
capacity often make the electricity
unreliable. Many power producers
on the continent are searching for
rapid, permanent power generation
technologies that can solve their
problems, such as those technologies
in GEs PowerXpand portfolio.
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries has
completed the development of a
transportable power generation
system driven by a gas engine and
designed like a shipping container.
MHI said the Meganinja is based
on a concept of quick transport,
quick installation and quick
generation and as such can be up
and running within 24 hours after
arrival at its site.
The company believes primary
demand for the product will come
from emerging economies where
power shortages remain common
in some regions and for emergency
power generators.
Inside the 12-metre long container
is all equipment necessary for power
generation, including a gas engine,
generator, fuel gas compressor and
control panel.
The unit can also accommodate
cogeneration through simultaneous
use of a container for waste heat
recovery incorporating a hot water
heat exchanger and exhaust gas
steam boiler.
Both types of container can be
transported to their destination by
trailer.
The Meganinja has a generation
output of 1500 kW and multiple
units can be easily interconnected to
expand output further.
Conventional stationary generating
equipment requires time-consuming
installation work, often up to a month
while foundations and pipe and
wire connections are made, but MHI
stresses that the Meganinja merely
needs to be brought to its installation
site, where it normally can be made
ready to operate within 24 hours.
MHI has already signed a deal
with Chinas Dongguan Xinao
Gas Company for two units of the
Meganinja.
MHI is also due in October to fnish
building a new engineering centre
in Shanghai specifcally for gas
engine distributed power generation.
The centre is intended to respond
to growing demand for distributed
power generation systems in the
Chinese market.
Alstom Thermal Power has signed
a contract worth over 100 million
($123 million) with Arabian Bemco
Contracting to provide the steam tail
for the Riyadh PP12 gas fred power
plant being constructed by them for
the Saudi Electric Company.
The Riyadh PP12 plant is located
100 km west of the Saudi capital.
Once completed, the plant will
produce a net output of 2175 MW
at high temperatures with high
effciency.
The plant utilises exhaust gases
from the gas turbines to generate
steam and run the steam turbines,
maximising the fuel utilisation with
a highly effcient combined cycle
design. The plant is scheduled to be
operational by 2015 in order to meet
the increased demand expected in
the central region.
This contract includes the supply
of two 342 MW steam-turbine
generator sets and eight heat
recovery steam generators for the
power plant.
Alstom Thermal
clinches Saudi
plant deal
Gas and diesel genset manufacturer
FG Wilson has invested 31 million
($37.9 million) to signifcantly grow
its production capacity and boost
facilities at its global engineering
centre of excellence.
The company made the
investment to exploit further growth
in emerging markets across Africa,
the Middle East, China and South
America. A total of 26 million was
invested in the engineering centre of
excellence, which already contains
a world leading hemi anechoic
chamber providing state of the
art acoustic research and testing
capabilities. This investment has
enhanced FG Wilsons best-in-class
pre-production validation testing,
which has resulted in signifcant
product quality improvements and
reductions in warranty claims.
Further investment saw the
transformation of a 47 000 square
foot assembly line into a continuously
moving automated process, at a cost
of 5 million.
FG Wilson
in $38m
expansion
6-8 MAY 2013
BOMBAY EXHIBITION CENTRE,
GOREGAON, MUMBAI, INDIA
CALL FOR PAPERS
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leaders from the conventional, renewable and hydropower sectors, this
world-renowned event provides a unique forum to be part of the regions
leading annual gathering for the power industry.
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technologies relating to energy markets, resources and environmental
challenges and network with high-level infuencers from across the entire
power spectrum.
Dont miss this prime opportunity to contribute to discussions about the
surging growth and developments in the India region and reach out to the
regions key decision makers.
INDIAN POWER
TIME TO
DELIVER
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