Wärtsilä wins 5-year operations and maintenance contract from Argentina

Wärtsilä Corporation, Trade press release 17 December 2008 at 10:00 UTC+2

Wärtsilä, a leading supplier of flexible power plants for the decentralized power generation market, has been awarded an operations and maintenance (O&M) contract by an Argentinean power plant customer. This agreement relates to a power plant currently being installed by Wärtsilä.

The operations and maintenance contract has been agreed for a period of five years. Under the contract Wärtsilä will operate and maintain the power plant, which is being installed for the Mina Pirquitas mining project in the province of Jujuy, in the north of Argentina.

Wärtsilä is currently supplying equipment and engineering for this new baseload power plant, which will provide electricity for the mining activities. The delivery includes three Wärtsilä 18V34SG engines, which run on natural gas and have a total output of 15 MW.

Wärtsilä has already supplied Argentinean customers with power plants that produce a total of 51 MW of electrical power.

In commenting on this latest order, Tomas Hakala, President of Wärtsilä in Latin America, said: “This is a valuable order, and one that represents a further endorsement of Wärtsilä’s ability to provide the right solutions in a variety of climates and operating conditions around the world. The power plant for the Mina Pirquitas project will be operating at an altitude of 4500 metres, and our proven success at meeting the challenge of high altitude operations was a key to being awarded this contract.”

Wärtsilä power generating solutions for industry

Energy-intensive industries can, in many cases, improve their competitiveness through reducing energy costs by producing electricity for their own needs in a local captive power plant. In some areas of the world, this also improves reliability of supply because of the inherently unstable grid conditions.

Wärtsilä’s gas-driven power plants offer high reliability, price stability, and independence from fluctuating grid conditions. They provide very rapid start-up, and consistent performance throughout varying ambient conditions, while meeting today’s increasingly stringent air quality requirements. There are to date more than 3300 Wärtsilä engines under delivery or already installed in more than 1700 power plants for the industrial self-generation segment, producing more than 12 GWe.

Wärtsilä’s comprehensive O&M programme enables the plant owner to focus on the company’s core business, knowing that Wärtsilä is able to ensure optimal plant performance. The O&M coverage is available for the complete operational lifecycle, from receiving fuel to supplying energy. Wärtsilä operates 132 installations in 34 countries, supplying some 3800 MW of power.

Wärtsilä in brief
Wärtsilä enhances the business of its customers by providing them with complete lifecycle power solutions. When creating better and environmentally compatible technologies, Wärtsilä focuses on the marine and energy markets with products and solutions as well as services. Through innovative products and services, Wärtsilä sets out to be the most valued business partner of all its customers. This is achieved by the dedication of over 18,000 professionals manning 160 locations in 70 countries around the world. Wärtsilä is listed on the Nordic Exchange in Helsinki, Finland.

www.wartsila.com

For further information, please contact:

Maria Nystrand
Public Relations Manager, Power Plants
Wärtsilä Corporation
Direct tel: +358 10 709 1456
e-mail: maria.nystrand@wartsila.com