Six flexible power plants operating on natural gas for Italy
The technology group Wärtsilä will supply six flexible power plants operating on natural gas, with a total combined output of 380 MW to different locations in Italy. The framework agreement contract was placed by Metaenergiaproduzione SRL, a member of the Italian Metaenergia Group, with the order for two plants being booked prior to 2020, and the remaining four in Q4 2020. Execution of the project was started in June 2021.
The six Wärtsilä power plants are scheduled to be completed by June 2022, just in time for the commencement of the new capacity market. Five of the plants, to be installed in Gorizia, Piombino, Sulmona, Cassino and Melfi, will be delivered and installed by Wärtsilä on an engineering, procurement, and construction basis.
The sixth plant, to be installed in Castellanza, will be supplied by Wärtsilä as an engineering and equipment delivery. The plants will be powered by a total of 18 Wärtsilä 50SG and 4 Wärtsilä 31SG gas-fuelled engines and are designed to comply with the most stringent environmental regulations set by the European Union.
Wärtsilä gas power plants operate on natural gas, the cleanest fossil fuel available. They feature high efficiency at any load, providing plant efficiency levels of up to 50 percent in simple cycle, and up to 54 percent in combined cycle mode.
Their unmatched flexibility is highlighted by the fact that they can reach full output power within minutes of the start signal, which is an essential benefit in systems that wish to integrate higher levels of renewable energy.
