Wärtsilä supplying six power plants in Italy

Wärtsilä will supply six power plants operating on natural gas, with a total combined output of 380 MW to different locations in Italy.

The six Wärtsilä power plants are scheduled to be completed by June 2022, just in time for the commencement of the new capacity market. Five of the plants, to be installed in Gorizia, Piombino, Sulmona, Cassino and Melfi, will be delivered and installed by Wärtsilä on an engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) basis. The sixth plant, to be installed in Castellanza, will be supplied by Wärtsilä as an engineering and equipment (EEQ) delivery. The plants will be powered by a total of 18 Wärtsilä 50SG and 4 Wärtsilä 31SG gas-fueled engines and are designed to comply with the most stringent environmental regulations set by the European Union.

“The new fast-starting plants are needed to provide flexible system balancing as Italy strives to incorporate more renewable energy, in line with its 2030 national energy, climate and decarbonization plan,” said Constantin von Wasserschleben, chairman of the international asset management IKAV Group, a significant owner of the project company. “The mechanism for ensuring system stability when the share of fluctuating solar and wind power increases is Italy’s Capacity Market, which will commence during 2022. Under this protocol, Terna, the national transmission system operator (TSO) ensures system stability via long-term power supply contracts. Electricity producers undertake to deliver energy when ‘called to produce’.”

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Sushil Purohit, president, Wärtsilä Energy and Executive Vice President, said the framework agreement is a prime example of the rapid transition towards a renewable energy future that is taking place throughout the energy sector.

Sushil Purohit

“Fast-starting and stopping capability is essential to provide effective system balancing when increased levels of solar and wind power, which are inherently variable in their supply, are introduced,” Purohit said. “Wärtsilä’s thermal balancing solutions enable the shift to renewables, with flexible and affordable energy for our customers, and help Italy in its journey toward a more sustainable energy system.”