Siemens and Panda Power Funds celebrated the commissioning of the Panda Patriot Power Project in Clinton Township, Pennsylvania – an 829 megawatt (MW) natural gas-fueled power plant featuring Siemens’ advanced H-class gas turbines. With the Liberty Power Project in Bradford County dedicated in October, “Patriot” is the second of two new Panda Power Funds generating stations to be commissioned in Pennsylvania this fall. These two power plants are the first in the nation to employ the Siemens SGT6-8000H single shaft configuration. Combined, these two natural gas power projects – designed to use Marcellus Shale gas – are able to generate enough electricity to power about two million households in large regional power markets, including Pennsylvania.
For both “Patriot” and “Liberty,” Siemens’ scope of supply features advanced power generation technology, financing, and long-term service. The single shaft power plant blocks include two SGT6-8000H gas turbines, two SST6-5000 steam turbines, two hydrogen-cooled SGen6-2000H generators, and two heat recovery steam generators, along with the control system SPPA-T3000. The gas turbines and generators were manufactured at Siemens’ Charlotte Energy Hub, the global base for the company’s 60 Hz power generating equipment.
Siemens will provide maintenance and service for the main components associated with the gas turbine under a long-term service program. Parts, inspections, and scheduled service/maintenance, along with Siemens’ Power Diagnostics™ remote monitoring and diagnostics, are included in the comprehensive service agreement. For “Patriot,” Siemens Financial Services provided financing to aid in the project’s construction through a $75 million term loan.
"We are proud to deliver our second of three natural gas-fired power plants for Panda Power Funds in Pennsylvania. This fuel-efficient, state of the art facility will deliver power to about one million homes – substantially reducing greenhouse gas emissions in comparison to aging generating stations," said Martin Tartibi, Senior Executive Vice President, Energy Solutions Americas, Siemens Power and Gas. "The Siemens gas turbines and generators were manufactured at our US energy hub in North Carolina, the control system was produced in Georgia, and service technicians from Pennsylvania will help ensure that the plant operates at maximum capacity for many years to come."
“Harnessing Marcellus Shale natural gas, the state-of-the-art Patriot generating facility will utilize the latest, most advanced emissions-control technology, making it one of the cleanest natural gas-fueled power plants in the nation,” said Todd Carter, Chief Executive Officer of Panda Power Funds. “We are proud to deliver this modern power infrastructure asset, as well as our continued partnership with Siemens.”
The H-class technology in a single-shaft configuration, used in the “Patriot” and “Liberty” power stations, means that both the gas turbine and steam turbine are arranged on one shaft and drive the same generator. This design offers economic advantages as a result of low investment costs, excellent efficiency and a high degree of flexibility during operation. Additionally, the plant is cooled with air, rather than water, eliminating potential impacts to sensitive species in the watershed.
The “Patriot” power project is one of seven for Siemens and Panda Power Funds in the United States, totaling over 5,800 MW. In addition to selecting Siemens to supply three Flex-Plants in Texas, Panda Power Funds chose Siemens to deliver three combined cycle power plants (CCPPs) in Pennsylvania – including “Patriot” and “Liberty” – and one CCPP in Virginia.
