South American power plant owner and operator, Rurelec plc (AIM: RUR) completed the conversion of its gas fired plant to a combined cycle plant. Combined cycle plants capture waste heat from turbines to power additional turbines with steam, thereby boosting the generating capacity of the plant without increasing fuel consumption.
Rurelec has long been an advocate of the technology, and has over the process of the last two years focussed on upgrading its generating capacity in Argentina and Bolivia into combined cycle plants.
Combined cycle power plants are also eligible to apply for Carbon Emission Reductions (CER’s) under the Kyoto Protocol, and can therefore ‘sell’ their reduced carbon footprint to other business that at producing in excess of their carbon allowance.
“The plant is in full commercial operation using the waste heat from both gas turbines to produce electricity from a steam turbine. This important step was achieved following approval from CAMMESA to permit the second gas turbine to be tied in. All three turbines have now been successfully synchronised.This permits EdS to finalise its new premium power purchase agreements under the Argentine government's Energia Plus programme,” the company added.
Rurelec further stated that it was continuing negotiations to refinance the debt of Energia del Sur, its Argentine subsidiary.