In mid-March, a ribbon cutting ceremony marked the opening of the 46.7 MW Lea County Electric Cooperative, Inc. (LCEC) Generation Plant, located just east of Lovington, New Mexico. The new plant, supplied by Wärtsilä, consists of five (5) 20-cylinder Wärtsilä 34SG generating sets running on natural gas, together with associated equipment including Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) units for reducing greenhouse gas and nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions. The LCEC Generation Plant began construction in April 2011 and was completed ahead of schedule this year.
The ceremony, held outside the facility, welcomed over 250 guests and endured 60 mph wind gusts as the group celebrated the new development that will produce electricity for the LCEC members and the Southwest Power Pool. The Wärtsilä engines in the LCEC plant offer a significant advantage due to their capacity to reach full plant output within five (5) minutes from stand-by mode. With the operation of a nearby wind farm due for completion in June, this power generating solution was a compelling advantage and strong match.
Dignitaries at the ribbon cutting ceremony included state Sen. Carroll Leavell, Public Regulation Commission chairman Patrick Lyons and LCEC Plant Manager, Gary Hurse. Each spoke on the importance of this installation signifying a move to renewables and specifically how the plant will positively enhance the future economy of southeastern New Mexico.
For further information, please contact:
Local contact - Wärtsilä:
Phil Rutkowski
Business Development Manager
Energy Solutions, Wärtsilä North America Inc.
Tel: +1 720 360 9444
E-mail: phil.rutkowski@wartsila.com
Local contact – Lea County Electric Cooperative:
Gary Hurse
Executive Vice President and General Manager
Lea County Electric Cooperative, Inc.
Direct tel: 1-800-510-5232
Email: ghurse@LCECNET.COM
Local media contact – Wärtsilä:
Amy Reynolds
Communications
Wärtsilä North America, Inc.
Tel: +1 281 233 6228
Email: amy.reynolds@wartsila.com
Wärtsilä in brief
Wärtsilä is a global leader in complete lifecycle power solutions for the marine and energy markets. By emphasising technological innovation and total efficiency, Wärtsilä maximises the environmental and economic performance of the vessels and power plants of its customers. In 2011, Wärtsilä’s net sales totalled EUR 4.2 billion with approximately 18,000 employees. The company has operations in nearly 170 locations in 70 countries around the world. Wärtsilä is listed on the NASDAQ OMX Helsinki, Finland.
www.wartsila.com
About Lea County Electric Cooperative
Established in May 1949, Lea County Electric Cooperative, Inc. is a member-owned co-op headquartered in Lovington, New Mexico. Branch offices are located in Tatum, New Mexico and Plains, Texas.
www.LCECNET.com