GPL has capacity to generate power using natural gas

GPL has capacity to generate power using natural gas – PPDI CEO

Aug 25, 2017 News

The Guyana Power and Light (GPL) currently has the capacity to accommodate a conversion from using Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO) to using Associated natural gas, to generate electricity for the national grid.

Engines at the Vreed-en-Hoop power plant.

This information was relayed yesterday by Arron Fraser, Chief Executive Officer of Power Producers and Distributors Incorporated (PPDI), the company that was created by the State in December 2016, to operate and maintain four power plants with engines owned by GPL.
Fraser was asked whether PPDI is contemplating generating electricity using other forms of energy such as natural gas. He said, “As it relates to the associated natural gas, the two newer plants, Kingston (two) and the Vreed-en-Hoop plant are plants that can be converted to use associated natural gas which will translate, if it happens, to more savings because its less wear and tear on the engine compared to HFO (Heavy Fuel Oil) fuel.”
He said that the conversion of the engines will require some amount of investment. He added that it would not be economically wise to convert the two older power plants at Garden of Eden on the East Bank of Demerara and Kingston one. The Garden of Eden plant was commissioned in 1994 while the Kingston one plant was commissioned in 1997.
The Vreed-en-Hoop and Kingston two plants were commissioned in 2014 and 2009 respectively. Combined, the four plants can produce 106 Mega Watts of power to the grid. Fraser said that the investment on the engines at the older power plants would not pay off and that the two newer plants could easily be converted for associated natural gas.
Following a visit to the power plants at Kingston and Vreed-en-Hoop, a press conference was held with the representatives of the PPDI management team.

The control room at the Kingston two facility.

According to the Deputy Chief Executive Officer (ag) – Operations and Maintenance, Robindra Parmanand, in order to do the conversion, all that is needed is to make some adjustments to the ignition system to accommodate natural gas.
Further, Fraser said that when Wärtsilä Operations Guyana Inc. (WOGI) was in charge of the power plants, efforts had begun to see how much the conversion would cost.
“About four years ago while we were at Wärtsilä, we had started efforts to see how much that would cost and I think ball park… to convert one engine was about €300,000… but since then we haven’t looked at an updated cost for that conversion.”
Moreover, PPDI Board Chairman, Mark Bender said that the company is currently preparing a Strategic Plan that will incorporate the subject of switching to renewable energy sources.
“You will note that the government has a stated policy or a stated goal of producing all the electricity by 2025 from renewable and clean sources of energy. In that regard, there are a number of options being considered. The two most significant ones at this time are hydro power and associated natural gas, once the oil and gas production starts. Of course there are other renewable sources like solar and wind and so on.”
He said that presently, the company has one client which is GPL. He said that within the Strategic Plan, the company is going to address how it positions itself as an operation and maintenance provider, and even as an independent power producer with regard to other sources of energy.
Bender added, “We will have to continue to develop our staff in keeping with the demands to enable us to compete, to enable us to remain relevant as we move towards these other sources of energy, clean and renewable sources of energy. So in the next couple of weeks, the strategic plan will be completed, it will be reviewed; of course the Minister will have to review it as well. So going forward, we intend to ensure that we remain relevant as the government moves towards this plan to have electricity for the grid supplied fully from renewable and clean sources of energy.”