Panda Liberty and Panda Patriot – two twin CCGT projects with 829 MW each – have been completed by the EPC joint venture Gemma Power Systems (GPS) and Lane Construction. Both power plants, located in c, run on natural gas from Marcellus Shale.
Panda Liberty achieved substantial completion on April 30 and was subsequently handed over to the operator, while Panda Patriot followed suit on June 14.
Panda Patriot was built in less than two years’ time at an estimated cost of over $400 million. Financing of the construction works for Panda Patriot was supported by Siemens Financial Services (SFS) supported through a commitment of $75 million.
GPS, through a joint venture with Lane Construction Corp – has been responsible for engineering, procurement and construction of both projects. William F. Griffin, the man at the helm of GPS thanked the “dedicated and creative” teams of the two partnering companies, who “worked tirelessly on these complex projects and delivered a world class project to Panda Power Funds.”
The two state-of-the-art gas power plants are said to be “the first projects to be designed and sited specifically to capitalise on the Marcellus Shale natural gas formation in Pennsylvania.”
Two integrated power islands, fitted with Siemens H-class technology, form the core of the Liberty and Patriot twin projects. Each power island is fitted with one SGT6-8000H gas turbine, one SST6-5000 steam turbine, one hydrogen-cooled SGen6-2000H generator, and one heat recovery steam generator. The units are arranged in single-shaft configuration whereby the gas turbine and steam turbine drive the same generator.
The EPC contractor pointed out that Liberty and Patriot are the first installation of H-class turbines and in single shaft configuration in the United States. Mr Griffin acknowledged that “the single shaft power train design makes the facilities among the most flexible and, most efficient natural gas-fired generating plants in the country.”
According to Siemens, single-shaft units are attractive due to “low investment costs, excellent efficiency and a high degree of flexibility” during operation. The German OEM will maintain its H-class equipment at both sites under a long term service agreement.