THREE engines from MAN Diesel and Turbo are installed at a major public utility near Alice Springs, a power station owned by the Northern Territory Government’s Power and Water Corporation (PWC). The power station is the highest efficiency open cycle dual-fuel power supply source in Australia.
MAN Diesel and Turbo Australia managing director Larry Silva said the company had surpassed its client’s expectations in providing the engines. “Long before we formed a contract, it was clear our customer, PWC, wanted a world-class solution requiring the very best technology, design, workmanship and project execution skills,” he said.
“The MAN team took up this challenge and the superb quality of the completed power station sets a new benchmark for remote power plants.”
The MAN 51/60DF engines installed at the plant provide a high level of fuel security, with the engines able to run not only natural gas but also on diesel.
The 51/60DF engines target applications where operation on a back-up fuel is either essential or desirable, making them the perfect choice for the power plant project.
Construction of the power station began in October 2009 and it was completed and handed over to PWC in 2011.
Building began with the station’s power house, where an innovative concrete panel design was first used to form walls before a supporting steel framework was erected and fastened.
The station’s control room, switch room, administration centre, tank farm, pump house and maintenance workshop buildings were completed during 2010, followed by the installation of mechanical and electrical systems, piping and lube-oil and fuel-oil modules.
All of the station’s electrics, load sharing, control and SCADA systems were designed and provided by suppliers and stakeholders in partnership with MAN.
The arrival of the first of three 10.9 megawatt generator sets on site marked a significant milestone for the project.
The plant was designed to operate automatically, with remote-control from PWC’s Ron Goodin power station in Alice Springs also possible.

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