French power engineering major Alstom has won a contract to supply the boilers for two 800MW units at RWE Power's existing coal-fired Westfalen power station, located in northwestern Germany, near the town of Hamm.
Under the terms of the contract, the value of which is approximately E500 million, Alstom will supply the complete boiler islands and auxiliary equipment, including erection and commissioning.
When completed in 2011, the new units will reportedly achieve cycle efficiencies of about 46%, substantially more than the European average of 36% efficiency for existing bituminous coal-fired plants.
The new Westfalen supercritical boilers are expected to reduce all emissions, including CO2, by about one-third compared to the fleet of older units. The levels of nitrogen oxide and sulfur dioxide emissions will also be reduced.
Johannes Lambertz, CEO of RWE Power, said: At Hamm we are erecting one of the most advanced bituminous coal-fired twin unit plants worldwide that, compared with old units, helps save some 2.5 million tons of CO2 annually while generating the same power. In Alstom, we have found a competent and experienced partner with whom we have already implemented a number of power plant projects.