Energia del Sur's Comodoro Rivadavia Plant Postpones Start-Up of Combined-Cycle Unit

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Energia del Sur S.A. (Chubut, Argentina), the power generating utility which owns and operates the Central Termica Patagonia power plant in southern Argentina, announced earlier this year that the plant's combined-cycle expansion project would be complete in August. However, the completion date set for the new unit was rescheduled for the end of September. Construction of the plant has been hindered by delays in the delivery of equipment, plant officials told Industrial Info. For details, view related May 23, 2008, article - Energia del Sur's Combined-Cycle Conversion Project Nearing Completion.

The plant, which began construction of the combined-cycle unit in August 2006, has a current capacity of 77 megawatts (MW) and burns natural gas. The new 60-MW Asea Brown Boveri steam turbine will be added to the two existing two 38.5 MW General Electric (NYSE:GE) (Fairfield, Connecticut) MS 61001B combustion turbines, which have been in operation since 1996.

According to plant authorities, the new equipment will undergo start-up tests during the months of September and October for it to become fully operational by the end of the year. The project will add 60 MW of capacity through the addition of the steam unit and two Vogt heat-recovery steam generators.

The plant is located in Comodoro Rivadavia in the Argentine province of Chubut and serves the isolated power grid based in Comodoro Rivadavia. When fully operational, the facility will reach a total power output of 137 MW.

Energia del Sur is owned by Patagonia Energy, a subsidiary of Basic Energy Limited (Bahamas) and Rurelec PLC (LON:RUR) (London).

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