Wärtsilä-led Consortium Wins Major Contract to Build World's Largest Tri-Fuel Power Plant in Jordan

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10 Oct, 2012, 13:09 BST

HELSINKI, October 10, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

A power plant of this size using Wärtsilä combustion engines is a landmark power generation installation. It represents recognition of the superior efficiency possible with Wärtsilä's technology. Furthermore, the tri-fuel capability provides unmatched flexibility, and ensures that Jordan will have a safe and reliable energy supply. When the gas infrastructure is in place, the plant will switch to natural gas and its environmental footprint will be minimised.

A consortium headed by Wärtsilä has been awarded a turnkey contract to build a 573 MW tri-fuel power plant in Jordan. When completed, it will be the world's largest tri-fuel power plant capable of utilizing natural gas, heavy fuel oil and light fuel oil as its main fuels. Initially, the plant will operate on heavy fuel oil, but the fuel flexibility of Wärtsilä's engine technology will enable a seamless transfer to environmentally sustainable natural gas operation once the infrastructure for a natural gas supply is in place. Furthermore, when in operation, the Wärtsilä technology ensures that the plant's use of water will be close to zero, which adds to its environmental sustainability. The overall contract is valued at USD 552 million, of which Wärtsilä's share is USD 334 million.

Wärtsilä's consortium partner is South Korean based Lotte Engineering & Construction, a major player in the Asian construction industry. The order has been placed by Amman Asia Electric Power, a special purpose independent power producer, in which Wärtsilä has a minority interest. The other owners of the company are Korea Electric Power Corporation of South Korea (KEPCO) and Mitsubishi Corporation of Japan. The project company will supply electricity to the National Electric Power Company of Jordan (NEPCO) under a recently signed 25 year power purchase agreement. The electricity will be fed to the Jordanian national grid.

Wärtsilä's technology powering the plant

The plant will be powered by a total of 38 Wärtsilä 50DF multi-fuel engines, which in reference conditions produce 632 MW of electricity. Even in the most extreme ambient conditions in Jordan, the power plant will produce a firm constant capacity of 573 MW. The plant will be fitted with a NOx (nitrogen oxide) control system for emissions abatement. This is in line with the Environmental, Health and Safety Guidelines set forth by the International Finance Corporation, the private sector lending arm of the World Bank Group, which have been adopted by Jordan's Ministry of the Environment.

"KEPCO has worked together with Wärtsilä and Mitsubishi in an outstanding cooperation to ensure this project is a success. As the leading global supplier of flexible and efficient power plant solutions, Wärtsilä suggested this efficient multi-fuel combustion engine technology solution to meet the requirements of the proposal, which was the critical success factor in the bid. We also trust Wärtsilä to professionally and competently lead the EPC consortium for the successful completion of this major and important project," states Mr Young Jin Bae, Chief Executive Officer of Amman Asia Electric Power Company.

"This is a landmark order for many reasons," says Vesa Riihimäki, Group Vice President, Wärtsilä Power Plants. "The fact that a power plant of this size will utilize Wärtsilä combustion engines demonstrates how the superior efficiency and flexibility of the technology are being recognized on the markets. Furthermore, the tri-fuel capability provides unmatched flexibility, and ensures that Jordan will have a safe, affordable and reliable energy supply. When the gas infrastructure is in place, the plant will switch to natural gas and its environmental footprint will be minimised. Finally, our ability to deliver such a large power plant on a really fast-track schedule was yet another reason for choosing Wärtsilä."

The power plant is to be located in Al Manakher, some 30 km outside Amman. The complete power facility will be delivered in three phases. The first phase is scheduled to be in commercial operation already in February 2014, with the entire plant being operable by September of that same year.

This will be the second power plant that Wärtsilä has delivered to Jordan. A 50 MW plant is already in use and is being operated and maintained by Wärtsilä personnel under an Operations & Maintenance agreement. Globally, Wärtsilä has delivered 4,600 power plants in 169 countries with a total generating capacity of close to 49 GW.

Smart Power Generation

Smart Power Generation enables transition to a modern, sustainable power system. Its main cornerstones are very high energy efficiency, outstanding operational flexibility, and multi-fuel operation. For today's emerging low-carbon power systems, it balances large input fluctuations of wind and solar power. It also provides high efficiency base load, peaking, and load-following power, as well as super-fast grid reserves on a national power system level.

Wärtsilä is the global leader in Smart Power Generation. Wärtsilä's technology and power plant solutions have been developed to provide a unique combination of valuable features that enable new horizons for future sustainable, reliable and affordable national power systems.

In September 2012, Amman Asia Electric Power signed a 25 year power purchase agreement with NEPCO.

In January 2012, Wärtsilä announced that a bid consortium consisting of Korea Electric Power Corporation, Mitsubishi Corporation and Wärtsilä Corporation, had been selected by National Electric Power Company of Jordan to build IPP3, an independent power producer project in Jordan.

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