The inauguration of a 140 MW extension to Aliaga power plant, making it the largest in the world based on gas fired combustion engines, took place on 29 September. The plant, near Izmir in Turkey, was supplied with Wartsila 20V34SG generating sets, the same model as the existing 12 engines on the site. When the planned addition of two steam turbines, currently under construction, is completed, the combined cycle plant’s output will rise to 270MW. It brins to 2.7 GW the total of Wartsila powered capacity in the country.
The ceremony wase conducted by Wärtsilä CFO, executive vice president Raimo Lind, accompanied by Finland’s Ambassador to Turkey, Kirsti Eskelinen, together with N. Atil Akkan, who is chairman of Cakmaktepe Energy, owners of the plant, and also chairman of the Aliaga Industrial Park (ALOSBI) where the plant is situated. At the same time, a 25 000 m2 ‘Wärtsilä forest’ was officially opened with a tree planting ceremony, marking the planting of 2000 pine trees in the ALOSBI Park.
The Aliaga combined cycle power plant has been built in three phases. The first phase was contracted in 2006, with two extensions added later in 2008. Wärtsilä equipment was specified for all three stages of the plant’s development, and altogether the power plant has today 28 of the Wärtsilä 20V34SG gas-fired generating sets. “This is a proud day for Wärtsilä,” commented Vesa Riihimäki, group vice president, Wärtsilä Power Plants. “We are committed to fully supporting Turkey’s rapid economic growth with efficient electricity generating solutions, and this commitment is evidenced by the fact that we already have two offices employing 110 people established in the country.”
At the time of the inauguration, 6 of the new Wärtsilä engines were running, with the remainder to come on stream as the transmission line investment serving the plant has been completed. The electricity produced by the Aliaga plant will then be sold to the Turkish spot market through the balancing mechanism.
Wärtsilä has a workshop located on the site to provide full service support to the plant’s operations, and also maintains the first phase (4 engines producing 35 MW of energy) of the Aliaga Cakmaktepe power plant under a maintenance agreement.