The first unit of the HKW North West AG combined cycle power station in St Petersburg was opened on 22 December with Russian president Vladimir Putin on hand to witness the start of commercial operation and grid synchronisation. The heart of the plant is two Siemens V94.2 gas turbines and a steam turbine made by LMZ (Leningradsky Metallicesky Zavod) of St Petersburg. Total power output is 450 MWe with a maximum 350 MWh available. When all the heat available is being utilised, thermal efficiency of the plant exceeds 80 per cent.
