The technology group Wärtsilä has signed a 15-year operation and maintenance (O&M) agreement with Energía del Pacífico for a 378-MW power plant in El Salvador. The plant will be the largest in El Salvador and will start operations at the end of 2021.
The power plant comprises 19 Wärtsilä 50SG engines running on natural gas fuel, and a steam turbine with a closed-loop waterless cooling system using Flexicycle technology. It will provide around one third of the country’s electricity supply and is aimed at helping to reduce its dependence on oil and heavy fuel oil (HFO) for power generation.
“This is a transformational energy investment for El Salvador. The project will deliver significant environmental benefits, and with Wärtsilä’s efficient and reliable gas engine technology, it will provide clean and reliable power to the country,” said Joel Schroeder, Energía del Pacífico’s vice president of thermal engineering.
“By supplying the equipment, and then operating and maintaining it, we can offer a total support solution that ensures optimal performance,” commented Jean-Christophe Reymond, general manager at Wärtsilä Energy.
The plant will be one of the first in Central America to utilize liquefied natural gas (LNG) as fuel. Wärtsilä will locally employ and train 40 people to operate and maintain the power plant.
