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Released January 25, 2013 | SUGAR LAND
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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Mid-Kansas Electric Company LLC (Hays, Kansas) has selected engineering, procurement and construction firm Burns & McDonnell (Kansas City, Missouri) and contracting company Casey Industrial (Broomfield, Colorado) to build the Rubart Power Station in Grant County, Kansas.
The natural gas-fired power plant will feature 12 natural gas reciprocating internal combustion engines (RICE) that were designed by Caterpillar Power Generation Systems, a part of the electric power division of Caterpillar Incorporated (NYSE:CAT) (Peoria, Illinois).
Mid-Kansas Electric said that this will be the first installation of Caterpillar's new G20CM34 generator sets. Caterpillar described the 20-cylinder, natural gas-fueled generators on its website: "These 20-cylinder, natural gas-fueled generator sets produce 10 megawatts (MW) of mechanical output and feature high availability, long life, low fuel and lube oil consumption, and low maintenance requirements. Designed for long-term reliable operations, the G20CM34 is equipped with the proven Cat electronic control system to ensure precise fuel delivery and world-class efficiency."
"History has shown the merits of having a balanced generation portfolio, so we know Rubart Station will further enhance our current fleet of generation resources," said Stuart Lowry, president and CEO of Mid-Kansas. "Our members will see multiple advantages when Rubart Station comes to fruition. Along with being incorporated into our existing generation fleet to meet our growing load, this type of generation resource has a fast-start capability, allowing for quick response to market conditions and our system's growing integration of wind energy."
The selection of Grant County for the approximately $130 million project was based on proximity to available transmission, a competitive natural gas supply, and the need for electricity generation resources to support load growth and expanded wind generation in the area.
The power station will be part of Mid-Kansas Electric's contribution to the Southwest Power Pool (SPP). The SPP is set to transition to an integrated market around the same time the plant is supposed to go commercial. This means that Rubart Power Station will be a key component in Mid-Kansas Electric's ability to respond to variable energy demands and the fluctuating supply from wind-based production, which is forming a larger component of the local power supply. SPP's current queue forecasts about 1,000 MW of wind will interconnect in the region by the end of 2012.
A groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled for this spring, and commercial operation is planned within a year. The project will bring jobs as well; six to 10 full-time employees for operations and approximately 150 construction jobs during the project's peak.
The station is named after Perry Rubart, a trustee from Ulysses-based Pioneer Electric Cooperative Incorporated.
"Having this station bear my name is certainly an honor, one that I didn't expect," Rubart said. "It is an especially humbling honor, since it came from my colleagues, for whom I have utmost respect for their dedication to their members and adherence to the cooperative principles."
Industrial Info Resources (IIR), with global headquarters in Sugar Land, Texas, and eight offices outside of North America, is the leading provider of global market intelligence specializing in the industrial process, heavy manufacturing and energy markets. Industrial Info's quality-assurance philosophy, the Living Forward Reporting Principle, provides up-to-the-minute intelligence on what's happening now, while constantly keeping track of future opportunities.
The natural gas-fired power plant will feature 12 natural gas reciprocating internal combustion engines (RICE) that were designed by Caterpillar Power Generation Systems, a part of the electric power division of Caterpillar Incorporated (NYSE:CAT) (Peoria, Illinois).
Mid-Kansas Electric said that this will be the first installation of Caterpillar's new G20CM34 generator sets. Caterpillar described the 20-cylinder, natural gas-fueled generators on its website: "These 20-cylinder, natural gas-fueled generator sets produce 10 megawatts (MW) of mechanical output and feature high availability, long life, low fuel and lube oil consumption, and low maintenance requirements. Designed for long-term reliable operations, the G20CM34 is equipped with the proven Cat electronic control system to ensure precise fuel delivery and world-class efficiency."
"History has shown the merits of having a balanced generation portfolio, so we know Rubart Station will further enhance our current fleet of generation resources," said Stuart Lowry, president and CEO of Mid-Kansas. "Our members will see multiple advantages when Rubart Station comes to fruition. Along with being incorporated into our existing generation fleet to meet our growing load, this type of generation resource has a fast-start capability, allowing for quick response to market conditions and our system's growing integration of wind energy."
The selection of Grant County for the approximately $130 million project was based on proximity to available transmission, a competitive natural gas supply, and the need for electricity generation resources to support load growth and expanded wind generation in the area.
The power station will be part of Mid-Kansas Electric's contribution to the Southwest Power Pool (SPP). The SPP is set to transition to an integrated market around the same time the plant is supposed to go commercial. This means that Rubart Power Station will be a key component in Mid-Kansas Electric's ability to respond to variable energy demands and the fluctuating supply from wind-based production, which is forming a larger component of the local power supply. SPP's current queue forecasts about 1,000 MW of wind will interconnect in the region by the end of 2012.
A groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled for this spring, and commercial operation is planned within a year. The project will bring jobs as well; six to 10 full-time employees for operations and approximately 150 construction jobs during the project's peak.
The station is named after Perry Rubart, a trustee from Ulysses-based Pioneer Electric Cooperative Incorporated.
"Having this station bear my name is certainly an honor, one that I didn't expect," Rubart said. "It is an especially humbling honor, since it came from my colleagues, for whom I have utmost respect for their dedication to their members and adherence to the cooperative principles."
Industrial Info Resources (IIR), with global headquarters in Sugar Land, Texas, and eight offices outside of North America, is the leading provider of global market intelligence specializing in the industrial process, heavy manufacturing and energy markets. Industrial Info's quality-assurance philosophy, the Living Forward Reporting Principle, provides up-to-the-minute intelligence on what's happening now, while constantly keeping track of future opportunities.
