Two Siemens SGT-800 industrial gas turbines, manufactured in Sweden, have started their 16,000km journey to the Termoeléctrica del Sur combined-cycle gas power plant (CCPP) in Bolivia. These two are the frontrunners of a larger order that comprises a total of 14 gas and steam turbines. Once installed, they will expand the capacity of three Ende Andina-run CCPPs, adding more than one Gigawatt to the Bolivian National Grid.
Bolivia’s power provider Ende Andina in early May signed a binding agreement with Siemens that will see the German manufacturer supply 14 SGT-800 gas turbines, 11 SST-400 steam turbines with condensers, 22 steam generators and the instrumentation and control system SPPA-T3000.
Sweden – Chile - Bolivia
All turbines subject to this order win are being manufactured at Siemens Industrial Turbomachinery in Finspang, Sweden. On Friday, the two first SGT-800s were loaded onto a heavy load carrier in the harbour of Norrköping, Sweden.
Now the cargo with more than 170 tons is travelling the first 14,000km on sea route from the Northern Atlantic via the Panama Canal to the Pacific harbour of Arica in Chile. From there the modules will be transported 1,800km overland to Bolivia, crossing the Andes.
"With this project we achieve the fastest, most efficient and most cost-effective expansion of the power generating capacities in Bolivia. The country will save a lot of natural gas by the distinct increase of efficiency of the three power plants,” commented Willi Meixner, CEO of Siemens’ Power & Gas division".
Cristian León, Ende Andina’s site manager for the Termoeléctrica del Sur expansion project, added: “We are prepared on site to receive these turbines, since the foundations of both turbines and generators are ready with much time in advance to ensure (…) the assembly process can run within schedule. Thanks to the civil works activities carried out in our three plants we ensure that the project will not suffer any delays".
Installation to be carried out by TSK
On site in Bolivia, Siemens’ consortium partner – the Spanish industrial group TSK – signs responsible for civil works, balance of plant, delivery of high-voltage substations as well as for the mechanical and electrical erection of the projects.
- The first expansion project – the Termoelectrica del Sur CCPP, situated near the Bolivian/Argentine border - will be equipped with additional four SGT-800 gas turbines, four steam turbines and eight steam generators.
- The second plant - Termoelectrica de Warnes - will be expanded by four SGT-800 gas turbines, four SST-400 steam turbines and eight steam generators.
- Third, the Termoelectrica Entre Rios power plant, situated some 220km southeast of La Paz, will get retrofitted with six SGT-800s, three SST-400s and six steam generators.
With the expansion projects, Siemens and its Spanish consortium partner TSK are adding more than 1 Gigawatt (GW) to the Bolivian power grid. The three CCPP expansions will boost Bolivia’s installed power generating capacity by 66%, increase electrification levels and lay the foundation for future electricity exports.