RWE power plants near startup
29 Jul 2011
Essen, Germany – RWE has announced that two new Essent power plants that are currently under construction, Claus C and Moerdijk 2. have undergone their ’first fire’. This means that the power plant’s gas turbine is put into operation for the first time – a step towards the final completion of the power plants later this year (Moerdijk 2) and in mid 2012 (Claus C).
Starting up the gas turbine releases flue gases of around 600°C. This heat is used to convert water into steam, which ultimately drives the steam turbine. Both the gas turbine and the steam turbine generate electricity through a generator.
Following the construction period and a lot of preparatory work, the ’First Fire’ process is a time eagerly anticipated both at the Claus and Moerdijk power plants. ’It certainly hasn’t been a piece of cake’, said Bart Beljaars, project manager for Claus C.
“Earlier this year we had already conducted a small pre-test with a ’First Ignition’, where the gas turbine was briefly put into operation. The remaining part of the installation has now also been completed, allowing the gas turbines to undergo protracted operation and further testing.’ For Moerdijk 2, the process of first firing has also been the crowning glory of the extensive preparatory work. Therefore, we really do consider the ’first fire’ to be an enormous milestone,” said project manager Ray Bisley.
The Claus power plant in Maasbracht originally consisted of two 640-MW gas units, Claus A and B. The expansion and modernisation of the Claus B unit to the Claus C unit was performed by the French company Alstom.
The total capacity will increase from 1,280 MW to 1,920 MW. This will mean that the Claus power plant will be the largest power plant in The Netherlands.
This operation will also lead to an improvement in the efficiency being achieved, from 39% to 58.5%, whilst the C02 emissions will decrease by more than 40%. It is anticipated that the new Claus Power Plant will be completed in mid 2012.
The new power plant Moerdijk 2 is being constructed by General Electric. This is a 430-MW gas-fired unit, which produces electricity with a gas turbine, steam turbine and generator connected on the same shaft. In this unit too, the efficiency will increase to more than 58% and CO2 emissions will reduce by around 40%.
Moerdijk 2 is expected to be completed towards the end of 2011, increasing the total capacity of the Moerdijk complex from the current 345 MW to 775 MW.
RWE subsidiary Essent is the largest energy company in the Netherlands. Belgium is our second home market. We provide our private and business customers with gas, electricity, heat and energy services. Essent (including its predecessors) has over 90 years experience of generating, trading, transmitting and supplying electricity.
The Claus power plant, in Maasbracht, currently consists of two identical generating units, which came on stream in 1977 and 1978 respectively. Each unit has a generating capacity of 640 megawatt. At the Claus power plant, Essent generates electricity using natural gas.
In 1993 and 1994 respectively, the units were converted to start/stop units. This means that they can be started up and shut down rapidly to respond as effectively and efficiently as possible to the daily fluctuations in electricity demand.
The Moerdijk cogeneration power plant has been operating since 1997. The power plant generates electricity and heat using natural gas and steam from the nearby waste-incineration plant of Afvalverbranding Zuid-Nederland (AZN). The electricity generating capacity of the power plant is variable between 122MW and 339MW. The power plant can supply up to 200 tonnes of steam an hour, of which a maximum of 150 tonnes an hour goes to the nearby facility of Shell Nederland Chemie.
