Metso Corp. has been selected to help Xcel Energy (NYSE: XEL) modernize its three-unit, 2,400 MW coal-fired Sherburne County Generating Plant in Minnesota.

In the first phase of a six-year upgrade program, Metso will provide the plant with equipment to modernize workstations used by operators and engineers to control unit operations, including historical data collection computers, communication networks to Metso I/O and data links to plant sub-systems from various manufacturers. The automation systems being modernized by Metso are located in Units 1 and 2, and include combustion controls for two drum-based boilers, controls for flue gas desulfurization, scrubber make-up water and data acquisition.

Phase one of the program is scheduled to be completed in 2013 with the follow-up phases extending into 2017. Metso said that the automation work will be done in stages to coincide with scheduled plant outages.

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