One of the most efficient ways to provide highly efficient base load electricity is using gas turbine-powered “combined cycle cogeneration (cogen)” generating facilities.
Canadian Power’s Meridian Cogen plant is just such a facility, providing more than 200 MW of electricity into Saskatchewan’s electricity grid at most times.
The two GE gas turbines are the backbone of the facility. Each provides 85 MW of power. The turbines require regular maintenance such that they can continue to operate reliably and efficiently. At this stage of their life, new rotors are needed to ensure this. Gas Turbine #1 completed a routine maintenance outage recently, with a one-in-an-asset-life “rotor replacement” being completed as well. The new rotor is pictured here. The unit provides enough electricity to power Saskatchewan’s 3rd and 4th largest cities, Prince Alberta and Moose Jaw.
The site team completed the maintenance activities promptly, enabling the unit to return to service promptly, and allowing it to continue to do its part to provide efficient, reliable energy to the facility customers, SaskPower and Cenovus. Important to note that on-time, on-budget return to service was important, it was more important still that the entire site team stayed safe throughout the work activities. CPHI, Cenovus, GE, and the other participants in the outage set this as their top priority throughout and achieved incident-free safety performance.
