German manufacturer MAN Diesel & Turbo has commissioned eight engines for a new 140MW thermal power plant in Nicaragua at Los Brasiles.
MAN Diesel & Turbo had delivered the type 18V48/60 engines to the plant dubbed as Planta MAN 140 which will be operated by ALBA Generación, a subsidiary of ALBA Nicaragua. The engines would run on heavy fuel oil (HFO), stated the Augsburg-based manufacturer.
Transportation of the engine from Corinto port to Los Brasiles for a distance of 156km posed quite a logistical challenge, said MAN Diesel & Turbo, especially due to high temperatures and increased volcanic activity in the route.
According to MAN Diesel & Turbo, Planta MAN 140 with a share of about 12% of the total power generation capacity in Nicaragua is the largest thermal power plant in the country.
Located close to Nicaragua’s Managua, the Planta MAN 140 thermal power plant would replace existing diesel power plants that have become older and less efficient. Planta MAN 140 is expected to balance out fluctuations in power generation in Nicaragua from renewable sources.
Its objective as per MAN Diesel & Turbo is to ensure power supply with enough stability to transmit to the Nicaraguan Electrical Network.
MAN Diesel & Turbo Power Plants on the American continent sales head Thorsten Dradrach said: "Engine power plants are ideal as a back-up for renewable energies.
"Not only can the engines be started up and reach full load in 3-5 minutes, they also operate efficiently at partial load.
“In the event of low wind levels or even no wind at all, our MAN48/60 engines generate energy reliably and in a highly flexible manner in order to compensate for fluctuations in the power network.”
Image: One of the eight MAN 18V48/60 engines on arrival in Los Brasiles. Photo: courtesy of MAN Diesel & Turbo.