News Americas, WILLEMSTAD, Curaçao, Sept. 18, 2024: Technology group Wärtsilä has again been contracted by Aqualectra, Curaҫao’s government owned utilities company, to provide Engineering, Procurement and Construction in support of the country’s decarbonisation program. This latest order is for a new 38.4 MW power plant that will be capable of providing efficient grid balancing as the level of renewable energy in the system continues to increase. The order was booked by Wärtsilä in Q3 2024.
Agreement signing – Front: Mathias West, CFO Neysa Isenia, Tganni Louisy. Back: Minister Charles Cooper, Chairman of the Board Renny Oehlers, Joseph Everon, and Rudolf Garmes.
The new Salu Power Plant is being supplied on a full engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) basis. Initially, the plant will provide baseload power but will be later utilised in a grid balancing role as part of the utility’s decarbonisation focus. It will operate with four Wärtsilä 20V32 engines and will immediately become one of Aqualectra’s most fuel-efficient power plants.
Earlier this year, Aqualectra placed an order with Wärtsilä for a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), as well as Wärtsilä’s GEMS Digital Energy Platform. The combined system will enable the expansion of renewable energy capacity, representing an important step towards a sustainable energy future for the island.
“Aqualectra immensely values the continued partnership with Wärtsilä and their availability to hold discussions, exchange and build bridges so that, on this occasion, we could again sign a significant agreement for the island and people of Curaçao,” says Mrs. Neysa Isenia, CFO at Aqualectra.
The combination of Wärtsilä’s BESS and GEMS solutions, supported by the new power plant, will provide grid stability and reliability, reduce unserved energy, and help mitigate the risk of brownouts and blackouts. In addition, the Wärtsilä solutions will allow Aqualectra to expand their decarbonisation vision while smoothing the intermittency of renewables.
“We have worked closely with Aqualectra in developing their long-term roadmap,” explains Risto Paldanius, Vice President, Americas at Wärtsilä Energy. “This involved a detailed analysis and modelling of their system, as well as verifying their own modelling. Aqualectra’s strategic objective is to provide the community with affordable, sustainable, and reliable electricity. Wärtsilä’s solutions will support all of these objectives through reducing the cost of generation, enabling the integration of renewables, while providing high reliability.”
Delivery of the Wärtsilä equipment and construction of the power plant is being carried out on a fast-track basis, and the plant is expected to be fully operational by Q4 2025.
Aqualectra produces and distributes water and electricity to over 80,000 households and companies on Curaҫao Island. The company is an existing and valued Wärtsilä customer with three Wärtsilä engine power plants operating with a combined total of 16 Wärtsilä engines.
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Wärtsilä Energy in briefWärtsilä Energy is at the forefront of the transition towards a 100% renewable energy future. We help our customers and the power sector to accelerate their decarbonisation journeys through our market-leading technologies and power system expertise. Our solutions include flexible engine power plants, energy storage and optimisation technology, and services for the whole lifecycle of our installations. Our engines are future-proof and can run on sustainable fuels. Our track record comprises 79 GW of power plant capacity, of which 18 GW are under service agreements, and over 125 energy storage systems, in 180 countries around the world.www.wartsila.com/energy
Wärtsilä in briefWärtsilä is a global leader in innovative technologies and lifecycle solutions for the marine and energy markets. We emphasise innovation in sustainable technology and services to help our customers continuously improve environmental and economic performance. Our dedicated and passionate team of 17,800 professionals in more than 280 locations in 79 countries shape the decarbonisation transformation of our industries across the globe. In 2023, Wärtsilä’s net sales totalled EUR 6.0 billion. Wärtsilä is listed on Nasdaq Helsinki.www.wartsila.com
AqualectraAqualectra is Curacao’s government-owned utility company. It produces and distributes water and electricity to over 80,000 households and companies. Aqualectra employs 615 dedicated women and men who provide the framework for delivering quality products and services to our customers.www.aqualectra.com
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