Wärtsilä Corporation Press release 8 October, 2002
Wärtsilä has been contracted to supply a 23 MW power plant to the Borough of Chambersburg in Pennsylvania, USA. The value of the deal is USD 17,3 million (EUR 17.7 million). The power plant, a peaking application designed to run on oil or gas, will secure for Chambersburg a reliable supply of electricity during periods of peak demand.
Scheduled for completion during the first half of 2003, the power plant will be operated for approximately 2,500 hours per year.
“Chambersburg joins a growing group of communities that have decided to control their own energy future. The Wärtsilä solution was chosen for its ability to provide a secure and independent source of electricity supply,” said Frank Donnelly, vice president of power plants for Wärtsilä North America.
This Wärtsilä peaking plant is a modular, pre-tested 1-300 megawatt multi-fuel power plant designed to run parallel with the transmission grid when electric demand is at its highest. The dual-fuel feature provides the flexibility to operate on either fuel oil or natural gas and therefore the ability to choose the more cost-effective alternative as conditions dictate. The dual-fuel capability also increases the power plant’s power generation reliability.
William McLaughlin, president of Chambersburg Borough Council said: “For more than one hundred years, the Borough Electric Department has been providing affordable and dependable electric service to the residents of Chambersburg. By signing this contract with Wärtsilä, we are taking the first step toward guaranteeing the same quality of electric service for the next hundred years. I have little doubt that future Councils will call on Wärtsilä to continue to expand this power plant’s capacity.”
Wärtsilä is the leading global ship power supplier and a major provider of decentralized power generation systems and of supporting services. In addition Wärtsilä operates a Nordic engineering steel company and manages a substantial holding to support the core business.
Kelly Speakes
Marketing Director
Wärtsilä North America
Direct tel: +358 40 540 3938
e-mail: Kelly.Speakes@wartsila.com
