POWER September 2010 - 1

Established 1882 * Vol. 154 * No. 9
September 2010
ON THE COVER
The 847-MW Langage Power Plant, owned by Centrica Langage Ltd. (formerly British
Gas), is located along the southwestern shore of the UK near Plymouth. It's a KA26-2
combined-cycle plant, 2 x 1 configuration, with two GT26 combustion turbines, two heatrecovery
steam generators, and a single steam turbine. The plant was designed and constructed
by Alstom under an EPC contract that included supply of the major equipment.
The plant was formally commissioned in March 2010. Courtesy: Alstom
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COVER STORY: GAS-FIRED TOP PLANTS
28 Langage Combined Cycle Power Plant, Plymouth, Devon, UK
Some of the editors would have granted Langage top plant honors simply on the
basis of its stunning architecture. The plant's physical design was intended to minimize
its visual impact, and its green roof helps it blend in with the nearby national
park. But the plant is also mechanically impressive as one of the highest efficiency
air-cooled combined-cycle plants in the world.
30 Panoche Energy Center, Firebaugh, California
Panoche, the largest LMS100 peaking facility in the U.S., provides critical grid stabilization
in California. It entered service ahead of schedule and is operating with
exceptional efficiency and reliability.
33 Ras Laffan Power and Water Plant, Ras Laffan Industrial City, Qatar
Population growth in Qatar, a small emirate rich in oil and natural gas, has put strains
on two essential resources: water and power. Ras Laffan, the first independent water
and power plant in Qatar, neatly addresses both needs.
36 Sloe Centrale Power Plant, Vlissingen-Oost, Zeeland Province, Netherlands
Sloe is fast. Not only was this combined-cycle plant built to enable frequent, fast
start-ups, but it also meets the most stringent European Union environmental requirements,
attains an efficiency of 59%, and thus has very low carbon dioxide emissions.
40 Timelkam Power Plant, Vöcklabruck District, Upper Austria, Austria
This new combined-cycle plant, which replaced a coal-fired facility, is one of the
most efficient and cleanest power plants not only in Austria but worldwide. It can
attain an electrical efficiency of approximately 58.7%; with district heat extraction,
the plant utilizes up to 70% of its fuel.
44 West County Energy Center, Palm Beach County, Florida
When all three units are completed, this south Florida powerhouse will assume the
title of largest combined-cycle power plant in the U.S. and will be Florida Power &
Light's first " greenfield " power plant since the 1970s. The first two units went online
ahead of schedule with a clean record for operator errors.
INDUSTRY TRENDS
48 Map of Natural Gas Generation in North America
SPECIAL REPORTS
COMBUSTION TURBINES
50 Flexible Turbine Operation Is Vital for a Robust Grid
A smart grid (see the sidebar, next page) that includes renewable generation also
needs " smart generation " that can quickly respond to changing demand. A combustion
turbine that can be " parked " at approximately 20% load while producing
emissions comparable to those during baseload operation, with little loss in thermal
efficiency, may be part of the smart generation solution.
September 2010 | POWER
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POWER September 2010

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of POWER September 2010