Alstom has won a contract worth approximately EUR40m ($59m) with Spain’s ACS Group to provide power equipment and services for the El Sauz combined-cycle power plant in Queretaro, one of Mexico's most industrialized states.

 

Under a separate seven-year long-term service agreement, Alstom will also provide services for the gas turbine and generator. Mark Coxon, Senior Vice-President of Alstom’s Gas Business, says: “This project marks Alstom’s GT24 gas turbine’s return to the market. ACS has chosen our GT24 gas turbine and steam turbine retrofit solutions, a demonstration of their sustained trust in our technology’s ability to provide cleaner power with increased availability and reliability”.

 

Launched in 1994, Alstom’s GT24 gas turbine has been continuously upgraded to incorporate the latest advances in gas turbine technology. Its unique sequential combustion engine emits less nitrous oxide (NOx) per MW produced and offers greater operational flexibility.

 

Gas fired El Sauz, which consists of three gas turbines and an 80 MW steam turbine, entered operation in 1981 and is owned and operated by Mexico’s state-owned utility, Comision Federal de Electricidad (CFE).

 

Alstom will provide a new GT24 gas turbine to replace the existing gas turbines and will retrofit the steam turbine. The project will add at least 25 years to the power plant’s lifetime and boost its efficiency by 20 per cent.