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For immediate release
May 9, 2013 at 2:09pm
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Phil Steyer 762-4766

Community celebrates Southcentral Power Project

A grand opening ceremony was held today for the new Southcentral Power Project.  SPP is an efficient, gas-fired power plant built by Chugach Electric Association and Municipal Light & Power.  It is the state’s most efficient gas-fired thermal power plant serving electric utility customers.  

The cooperation by the two utilities to jointly plan, construct and operate one plant to serve both customer bases was noted by several speakers.  Lt. Gov. Mead Treadwell, Mayor Dan Sullivan and leaders of the two utilities spoke to the crowd prior to the ribbon cutting.  Representatives Chris Tuck and Charisse Millett presented a legislative citation to Chugach and ML&P recognizing their joint efforts on behalf of customers.

The new power plant has three gas turbine-generators and one steam turbine-generator that operate in combined-cycle mode to efficiently produce electricity.  Hot exhaust from the gas turbines is captured and used to turn water into steam for the steam unit.  The new plant produces a kilowatt-hour using only about three-fourths of the natural gas compared to the prior system average for other generation units.

More information about the Southcentral Power Project and other information about Chugach and ML&P is available at their websites:

www.chugachelectric.com

www.mlandp.com

SPP Grand Opening video

Southcentral Power Project Facts

• Chugach and ML&P Participation Agreement (August 2008)

• Ownership: Chugach (70%) and ML&P (30%)

• Project budget: $369 million

• Final project cost: $359 million (close-out in progress)

• Groundbreaking: March 2011

• Scheduled completion: June 2013

• Actual completion: January 2013

• Three GE LM6000 combustion turbine-generators (same engine as on a 747 airplane)

• One Mitsubishi steam turbine-generator

• Generating capacity: 183 megawatts nominal; 200 megawatts w/duct-firing

• Fuel efficient: 25% more efficient than previous generation

• 25% less CO2 emitted

• 95% less CO and NOx

• Construction workforce: Up to 400

• Operating workforce: 22