GE today announced that it will provide a GE 9F gas turbine and long-term services for the Lichterfelde power plant, developed by the Swedish utility Vattenfall and constructed by Iberdrola Engineering. The new combined-cycle plant is expected to supply 300 megawatts (MW) of electricity and a thermal capacity of nearly 230 MW for southwestern districts of Berlin. GE will provide operations and maintenance of the turbine.
In 2009, Vattenfall signed an agreement with the local Senate (federal state government) to reduce the utility’s carbon emissions in Berlin by 50 percent until 2020 in comparison to the base year 1990. The new plant will replace a combined cycle plant that has been operating there since 1972. By combining state-of-the-art combined-cycle technology and district heating, the new combined-cycle plant’s fuel efficiency will rise up to 85 percent. This allows carbon dioxide reductions of more than 100,000 tons a year compared to the 40-year-old plant in Berlin-Lichterfelde. “We are very glad Vattenfall has selected our advanced combined-cycle technology to replace the existing equipment and help meet Germany’s stringent emissions parameters,” said Stephan Reimelt, CEO of GE Energy Germany. “The GE 9F gas turbine supports the choice for climate-friendly power production in the German capital, and we are pleased that our technology allows us to reduce carbon emissions and to take an active part in the German energy transition plan (“Energiewende”) emphasizing greater industrial energy efficiency.” Ibedrola Engineering will be responsible for the project’s entire development, including its design, engineering, procurement, construction, assembly and commissioning. GE has had a long and successful collaboration with Iberdrola, spanning nearly 100 years, having developed energy projects together in all countries where Iberdrola has a footprint. The preparations for the construction of the new power station have already begun. In the year 2016, the plant will enter commercial operation. Currently, Berlin-Lichterfelde provides district heating for 100,000 households. Developed for 50-hertz applications, the advanced technology 9F gas turbine delivers power with high efficiency, high availability, high reliability and low emissions. The 9F gas turbine provides the flexibility required today in many regions for power that can be rapidly adjusted to compensate for changes in renewable generation, demand or use. It provides the plant operator with choices to best meet fluctuating power demands and has accumulated 12 million operating hours worldwide.