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Florida Power & Light orders six Siemens gas turbines; 50% cut in CO2 emissions

Florida Power & Light has ordered up six gas turbines from Siemens in an attempt to build the cleanest power plants in the state.
Written by Andrew Nusca, Contributor

Florida Power & Light has ordered up six 60Hz H-class gas turbine-generators from Siemens Energy in an attempt to cut carbon dioxide emissions in half.

The FPL contract is specifically for the renovation of its power plants in Riviera Beach and Cape Canaveral. Each plant will make use of three 274-megawatt-rated SGT6-8000H gas turbines, which are rated for 60 percent efficiency in combined cycle operation and promise a 50 percent reduction in carbon dioxide emissions.

That's a reduction of approximately 30,000 tons per year, Siemens says.

Modernization for both facilities -- which currently use 1960s gas- and oil-fired units -- is scheduled to begin this year. They are expected to return to service in 2013 and 2014 as the state's cleanest power plants, with enough combined output to power 500,000 area homes.

"At a time when energy consumption is flat in the U.S., more and more customers are making long-term strategic decisions to replace older technology with newer, more efficient gas turbines," said Siemens Energy CEO Randy Zwirn in a statement. "These companies will be well-positioned to comply with new anticipated Energy legislation that is likely to have stricter environmental controls."

The companies say the projects will employ more than 250 engineers and create more than 5,200 jobs.

Photo: SGT58000H turbine/Siemens Energy

This post was originally published on Smartplanet.com

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