GE Vernova has secured an order for six of its LM2500XPRESS aeroderivative gas turbine packages from the Puerto Rican Equipment Procurement and Construction company RG Engineering (RGE) to ‘help bring fast and reliable power in Puerto Rico’. The six units are an upgrade of the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA) power plants at Daguao, Jobos, and Yabucoa, all managed by the private operator Genera PR (Genera).
Puerto Rico’s energy challenges stem from natural disasters with hurricanes Maria in 2017 and Fiona in 2022 which significantly weakened the island’s power grid. The six new units are calculated to provide approximately 244 MWe in total with the goal of ensuring a more robust energy system for the island, to support possible peak summer demand and provide emergency power.
In addition, flexible natural gas fired plants can help Puerto Rico to increase its energy security while it continues to expand its development of renewable energy resources, including solar and wind. Under the 2019 Puerto Rico Energy Public Policy Act, Puerto Rico set a target of obtaining 60% of its electricity supply from renewable resources by 2040, and 100% by 2050.
Each of the LM2500XPRESS packages consists of a GE Vernova LM2500 aeroderivative gas turbine modular package and an emissions control system. With the capability to start in 5 minutes or even less from cold iron, these units can perform daily starts and stops without impacting its maintenance cycles or costs and are capable of helping a better integration of renewable energy sources.
