POWER August 2012 - 27

2012 PLANT OF THE YEAR
halted in 2007. Dual-fuel combustion turbines
allowed generators to switch to moreexpensive
fuel oil and continue to operate,
but at much higher market prices.
The mines in northern Chile, which produce
about 35% of the world's copper, were
struggling to find enough electricity to support
current operations at the time-never
mind support aggressive expansion plans
to meet the rapidly rising global demand
for copper. Mining in Chile, though very
competitive globally, requires significant
electricity, particularly for pumping water
to the mines, which are located in arid desert
areas.
In sum, the loss of natural gas supplies
and rising demand for power by the mines
made construction of a new coal-fired power
plant complex a necessity. AES Gener
set out to build a new, two-unit coal plant,
and so much more.
An International Project
In August 2008, AES Gener, through its
subsidiary Empresa Eléctrica Angamos
S.A., began construction on the greenfield,
two-unit 520-MW (470-MWnet) Angamos
Power Plant (Figure 1). A critical part of the
project was construction of the 140-kilometer
(km) Angamos-Laberinto transmission
1. Treasure in the desert. AES Gener
recently completed construction of the $1.3
billion, two-unit, 520-MW Angamos Power
Plant in the desert of northern Chile. Located
near the ocean, the plant features a water
desalination plant and seawater cooling towers.
The coal-hybrid plant includes 20 MW of
electricity storage to stabilize local grid operations.
Courtesy: AES
line and expansion of the Laberinto and
Nueva Zaldívar substations, which were
necessary for startup of the plant's transmission
system. When completed in late
2011, the $1.3 billion Angamos plant was
the first power plant constructed in the
SING in more than 10 years. Table 1 lists
key project milestones.
The expected average generation of the
plant is 3,500 GWh/year. Its primary cusTable
1. Key milestones for the AES Angamos project. Source: AES Corp.
Project milestones
Date
Contract signed
Limited Notice to Proceed 1, 2
Limited Notice to Proceed 3
EPC contract commencement date
Boiler drum lift (Unit 1)
Boiler drum lift (Unit 2)
Receive backfeed power
Initial firing (Unit 1)
Initial firing (Unit 2)
First synchronization (Unit 1)
First synchronization (Unit 2)
Substantial completion (Unit 1)
Substantial completion (Unit 2)
Commercial operation
Oct. 17, 2007
Dec. 20, 2007
Dec. 30, 2007
Apr. 4, 2008
July 2009
Nov. 2009
Jan. 2010
Oct. 2010
Mar. 2011
Dec. 2010
June 2011
Apr. 2011
Oct. 2011
Unit 1: Apr. 11, 2011
Unit 2: Oct. 10, 2011
Table 2. Key Angamos performance parameters. Source: AES Corp.
Parameter
Details
Net single unit output
Net plant heat rate (HHV)
Turbine throttle conditions
Fuel
Emissions NOx
SO2
Boiler
PM10 (filterable)
Type
Steam pressure
Steam temperature
Turbine
230.7 MW guarantee. Test: Unit 1, 242.8 MW; Unit 2, 244.1 MW
10,478 Btu/kWh guarantee. Test: Unit 1, 9.849; Unit 2, 9,941
2,220.6 psig/1,049 F main steam
573 psig/1,049F reheat steam
Pulverized coal facility using blended coals: Bituminous (min. 54%)
and subbituminous (max. 46%)
500 mg/Nm3
200 mg/Nm3
50 mg/Nm3
Subcritical
2,220.6 psig
1,049F
Maximum continuous rating 741.4 tons/hr
Rating
Type
270 MWh
Single-flow high-pressure turbine, double-flow intermediate-pressure
(reheat) turbine, four flow low-pressure condensing turbines
Rotational speed
Condenser vacuum
Feedwater heaters
Generator Voltage
Capacity
Boiler feed pump configuration
Cooling water system
Water pretreatment system
28
3,000 rpm
2.3 inches HgA
6 stages of feedwater heating, including deaerator
18 kV
330 MVA @ 0.85 PF
3 x 50%-sized pumps
Seawater cooling towers
Desalinated water plant for service water; demineralized water plant
for boiler feedwater makeup
www.powermag.com
POWER | August 2012
http://www.powermag.com
POWER August 2012

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of POWER August 2012
