Emerson to help in modernisation plans

21/02/2022

Emerson is set to assist the Municipal Electric Authority of Georgia (MEAG Power) in the USA as it plans to modernise operations at its Wansley Unit 9 combined-cycle power plant.

The upgrades will include the replacement of the legacy balance of plant, steam turbine controls and gas turbine controls, as well as the generator excitation, burner management and vibration monitoring systems. New predictive software will help manage steam temperature during energy load changes.

“MEAG Power’s forward-thinking approach to meeting future capacity and energy requirements balances the stability of natural gas power generation with the variability of renewable resources,” said Bob Yeager, President of Emerson’s power and water business.

He added: “Our advanced, integrated platform of digitally transformative software and technologies will optimise the operations at the Wansley natural gas-fired unit, enabling more reliable and efficient delivery of energy to their member partners.”

Upgrades to the 500 MW natural gas-fuelled plant are expected to be completed in 2022.

According to Emerson, which helps modernise plants, Wansley delivers 69% emissions-free power, but obsolete generation controls have impacted the plant’s availability and financial performance.

“Natural gas generation is a crucial part of our diverse energy mix that will play a meaningful role as we transition to a higher percentage of non-emitting generation,” said Steve Jackson, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Municipal Electric Authority of Georgia.

He continued: “Modernising the Wansley Unit 9 combined-cycle plant with Emerson’s proven, advanced Ovation automation platform will enable us to continue providing reliable and competitively priced power to our 49 participant communities, ensuring long-term success.”

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