February 1, 2011 - HPI willupgrade the control system and instrumentation of a Pratt & Whitney Twin Pack (FT4) aero-derivative gas turbine engine for the National Electrification Institute (INDE) of Guatemala.The power station, located in Escuintla, Guatemala, currently uses electromechanical relays and switches. The new control system will be implemented in the AB ControlLogix Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC) series, and will be connected to an existing supervisory control system. The new turbine control system will be controlled locally and monitored at INDE headquarters in Guatemala City. HPI will be doing installation, start-up and factory testing at their facilities in Houston.
Installation and commissioning at the site must be done within a 30-day window. Since the station is a peaking unit that must be brought online quickly, the unit can only be down for approximately 30 days and will be fully operational thereafter. The project is scheduled for completion in less than 8 months. “We are excited to begin work with INDE,” says Hal Pontez, President and CEO of HPI. “Our team has extensive experience with the FT-4 Pratt & Whitney turbines and therefore can retrofit and commission the new control system and associated instrumentation within the 30-day time allotted.
HPI has recently completed a project involving four FT-4 turbines at a station in Texas, and I have every confidence that this project will run as planned. We look forward to doing many more projects in Guatemala.” About HPI, LLC HPI remains a technological leader in turbine solutions including retrofit control, mechanical inspection/overhaul, turnkey engineering, procurement, and construction of power plants. HPI provides unique solutions to meet specific customer requirements, utilizing in-house talent experienced in project management, engineering, and design, while improving overall plant reliability and safety. Founded in 2002, many of the engineers and managers of HPI received their start in the industry from their work at Hawker Siddeley Dynamics Engineering.
About INDE
The National Electrification Institute (INDE) was established on May 27, 1959 by Decree Law 1959. The objective of the company is to address power shortages in the country and to meet normal energy demands. The INDE also aims to promote the development of new industries, increase domestic consumption, and extend the use of electricity in rural areas.
