Satisfied with decades of performance, PowerGen Ltd. chose new GE solutions rather than initiate costly, incremental repairs. During a planned outage, GE Power Services replaced two MS7001EA turbines and integrated two 7E models to the 236-MW plant on the nation island of Tobago.
Running on natural gas, these additions to the combined-cycle power plant provide an increase in energy efficiency—and output by 26 MW. Along with the gas turbines, the project with GE includes a 16-year maintenance agreement to supply spare parts and repairs.
Power plants in Latin America are more frequently looking to increase the reliability of their combined-cycle generating facilities to keep pace with new demands on utilities. This was the first flange-to-flange gas turbine replacement in the Latin America/Caribbean region for GE.
The new gas turbines improved the heat rate of the plant by 2.25%, adding some 30 years of life to the site and supplemental power to the island nation of Trinidad and Tobago.