With more industrial facilities using distributed power technologies to ensure a reliable energy supply and increase productivity, General Electric (GE) has completed the supply and installation of three 25-megawatt (MW), trailer-mounted, TM2500+ aero derivative gas turbines to generate uninterrupted power at Port Harcourt refinery.
The supply was made through Genesis Electricity Limited, an independent power producer.
The installation of the mobile gas turbines will ensure that Nigeria’s largest oil refinery has the power it needs to overcome grid outages and return to full capacity for refining. Before now outages have reduced the refinery’s output to 30 percent of its total maximum capacity of 210,000 barrels per day.
To help address these issues, Genesis Electricity Limited, signed a 20-year power purchase agreement with NNPC in November 2013 for the installation of GE’s TM2500+ units at refinery.
The TM2500+ gas turbines will provide both the base load and backup power to support refinery operations. The agreement also includes the future modernization of Nigeria’s other two refineries.
GE acted as a catalyst for the project, taking it to financial closure by working with all stakeholders and partners to structure the project’s equity. This is the first-ever non-recourse project financing for power plants in Nigeria.
“We are excited to work with GE to deploy their proven TM2500+ gas turbine technology and help Nigeria successfully return the Port Harcourt refinery to full service as quickly as possible,” said Akinwole Omoboriowo, CEO of Genesis Electricity Limited, saying “this project was not only important in getting the refinery back into full operation, but also to support Nigeria’s long-term economic interests by achieving optimum refining capacity.”
“Our TM2500+ technology’s high-power density and compact footprint make it the perfect solution to address Port Harcourt Refining Company’s fast ramp-up, on-site power requirements while also ensuring the refinery’s long-term viability,” said George Njenga, GE’s distributed power leader for sub- Saharan Africa.
On his part, Lazarus Angbazo, president/CEO of GE Nigeria, said GE was training local engineers to operate and manage the refinery’s TM2500+ units, saying GE also had an in-country service and maintenance workshop to service the units. Apart from reflecting GE’s long term commitment to Nigeria, Angbazo said these efforts were in line with local content requirements in Nigeria.
GE’s TM2500+ gas turbine is capable of providing ISO-rated 31 MW of fast and reliable on-site generating capacity. The system can be used to provide utilities with a “baseload bridge” to support permanent power installations; backup power to support natural disaster relief efforts; or for plant shutdowns or equipment maintenance. The fuel-flexible system can use either natural gas or liquid-distillate.
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