GE Energy To Provide 209FB Combined-Cycle System For Power Plant In Castellon, Spain

Cologne, Germany - GE Energy will supply a 209FB combined-cycle system to Spanish energy producer Iberdrola Generacion S.A. of Madrid for a new, 858-megawatt power plant to be built in Castellon, north of Valencia, Spain.

The Castellon 4 project will mark the third installation of GE's 9FB technology for Iberdrola-owned power plants. The world's first installation of this technology, Group III of the Arcos de la Frontera combined-cycle plant in Cádiz, is now in commercial operation. In addition, Iberdrola selected a 209FB system for its Escombreras combined-cycle plant now under construction in Murcia, Spain, which is expected to begin commercial operation in November of this year.

Using natural gas as the primary fuel source and liquid fuel as the backup, the Castellon plant is expected to achieve net thermal efficiency of greater than 58%, which will make it one of the world's most efficient combined-cycle projects.

The scope of GE's contract includes two Frame 9FB gas turbine-generators, one GE D11 steam turbine, three 330H generators and two heat recovery steam generators, as well as technical support during construction, commissioning and testing. The gas turbines will be manufactured at GE's facilities in Greenville, S.C., and the steam turbine and generators in Schenectady, N.Y. The first gas turbine will be shipped in August of 2006, and the Castellon plant is scheduled to begin commercial operation in February of 2008.

The gas turbines will be equipped with GE's advanced 2.6+ Dry Low NOx combustion systems and will limit NOx emissions to 25 parts per million.

Engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor for the project will be Iberinco of Madrid, Spain, a fully owned subsidiary of the Iberdrola group that also is responsible for the commissioning of Iberdrola's other 9FB projects.

GE's Frame 9FB machine is one of the world's most advanced, air-cooled, 50-hertz gas turbines. "We are very pleased that Iberdrola continues to show confidence in our 9FB technology," said John Reinker, general manager of the gas turbine and combined-cycle product line for GE Energy. "It is the latest evolutionary step for our F technology, which has been proven in more than 15 million fired hours worldwide."

One of Spain's leading utilities and among the leading energy companies in Europe, Iberdrola serves more than nine million customers in Spain. The company also operates combined-cycle plants in Brazil and Mexico, and has just announced the award of a new plant in Latvia for Latvenergo utility. Offering a wide generation mix, Iberdrola is a world leader in renewable energy, with more than 3,000 megawatts of installed capacity at the end of 2005.

SOURCE: GE Energy