The power plant will use the HL-class gas turbine
technology from Siemens Energy. Thanks to its state-of-the-art efficiency, this
technology enables maximum utilization of natural gas and a high degree of
flexibility in operation. The unit is designed to be fired with up to 30
percent hydrogen in addition to natural gas
in the future. The installed electrical output will be 880 megawatts, which is
sufficient to supply more than half a million Italian households with
electricity. Completion is scheduled for spring 2025.
Thanks to an air-cooled condenser (ACC), it’s not necessary
to draw water from the nearby River Po to cool the power plant. This is a significant
benefit for the local environment and an important factor for the reliable
operation of the plant. In addition to the ACC, state of the art nitrogen oxide
emission levels (below 10 mg/Nm3), and a broad,
flexible operating range accompanied by minimized fuel consumption ensure that
the new power plant in Ostiglia sets benchmarks with regards to sustainability
and environmental protection.
“Our HL gas turbine technology will make a very decisive
contribution to the success of the energy transition in Italy and all over the
world,” said Karim Amin, Member of the Executive Board of Siemens Energy. “We
need highly efficient and flexible gas-fired power plants in the energy mix to
ramp up generation capacity to bridge the intermittence of renewables.
Furthermore, our gas turbines can be operated with a mix of natural gas and
green hydrogen, which will be an important feature of sustainable energy in the
future.”
“The new unit is a state-of-the-art project, providing a
positive future perspective to the Ostiglia industrial site, securing
investment and jobs, and supporting the energy transitions, that for at least two
decades will need gas power generation aside of increasing renewables and
storage facilities” said Luca Alippi, CEO of EP Produzione. “As the system needs
gas to power generation, more than ever current times highlight the need of very
efficient plant, utilizing gas at the best with the lowest possible emissions. We
are pleased to implement such an investment, as well as of the fact that the project
will additionally include improvement on the existing units.”
The power plant is designed as a multi-shaft unit with the
gas and steam turbines each driving their own generator. Siemens Energy's scope
of supply includes an SGT5-9000HL gas turbine, an SGen5-3000W gas turbine
generator, an SST5-5000 steam turbine, an SGen5-1200A steam turbine generator,
a heat-recovery steam generator, and the T3000 control system. The company will
also provide long-term services for the plant’s core components.