Siemens to provide long-term service for gas turbines in Mexico

Siemens has received an order to provide long-term service and maintenance at four power plants in Mexico. The service agreement covers the eight gas turbines and related auxiliaries to be delivered to the Valle de México (two SGT6-8000H units), Empalme I (two SGT6-8000H units), Empalme II (two SGT6-8000H units) and Tula (two SGT6-5000F units) combined cycle power plants in Mexico for a period of 16 years. The customer is the state- owned power provider Comisión Federal de Electricidad (CFE). These four power plants will have a combined electrical capacity of 2727 MW.

CFE is modernising its installed power generation capacity so it can compete in the market recently created in Mexico with the Energy Reform.

The 615 MW Valle de México plant is being built in Acolman, a town in the central state of Mexico, and is scheduled to begin commercial operation in late 2017. The Empalme I combined cycle power plant, located in Sonora, will have an installed capacity of 770 MW and once operational in late 2017, will supply electricity to the northern region of Mexico, where, according to CFE estimates, energy demand will grow at a rate of 3.6% annually. The 791 MW Empalme II power plant, also in the Sonora area, is scheduled to begin commercial operation in April 2018.

As part of a repowering project, two SGT6-5000F gas turbines will be used in two 1x1 configurations for the Tula 1 and 2 combined cycle power blocks, located in Hidalgo in central Mexico. Together, the two blocks will have an installed capacity of 550 MW. Commercial operation is scheduled for spring 2017.