The Amman Asia Electric Power Company (AAEPC) has formally marked the commissioning of the world’s largest internal combustion engine power plant and says that the facility has had a "remarkable" impact on the Jordanian grid.
The 573 MW IPP power plant is powered by 38 Wärtsilä 50DF multi-fuel engines and was officially inaugurated on 29 April in a ceremony hosted by AAEPC and King Abdullah II Ibn Al Hussein of Jordan.
The size of the plant has earned it a place in the Guinness Book of World Records, says Wärtsilä, which leads the engineering, procurement and construction of the project.
IPP3 will be used for covering the sharp daily peaks of electricity demand in Jordan. "By starting one engine at a time, the plant can follow the demand very precisely," said Taemin Kim, Administration Manager for AAEPC.
IPP3 and its sister plant, the 250 MW IPP4, have been in commercial operation since late 2014. According to data provided by the Jordanian grid operator NEPCO, their impact on the Jordanian power grid has been remarkable, says Wärtsilä. Since the two engine plants have covered most of the peak demand, large gas turbine power plants in the grid have been released from this task. As a result, turbines now produce steady baseload, operating much more efficiently. This leads to significant savings in fuel, energy costs and CO2 emissions.
In addition to operational flexibility, IPP3 provides fuel flexibility. The tri-fuel plant can run on heavy fuel oil (HFO), light fuel oil (LFO) and natural gas. Currently HFO is used due to shortage of natural gas. The plant will start to use LNG-based natural gas later this year, as soon as it becomes available. "The readiness to use different fuels was essential for us," said Kim.
