Emerson to replace aging turbine controls at Arkansas power plant

April 17, 2014 — Union Power Partners, a subsidiary of Entegra Power Group, awarded Emerson Process Management a contract to replace turbine controls at Union Power Station. The plant, located in southern Arkansas, is one of the largest combined-cycle facilities in the U.S.

Union Power Station has a generating capacity of 2,200 MW and comprises four individual 2x1 combined-cycle power blocks. It is adjacent to an Entergy substation that directly interconnects the plant to the Entergy Arkansas transmission system. This interconnection provides direct transmission access to power markets throughout the Entergy Control Area, as well as access to power markets in surrounding states.

“Union Power Station is an important source of power for Arkansas and the surrounding area,” said Tom Burger, plant manager, Union Power Partners. “Replacing the older controls will help enhance reliability and operational efficiency, which is so vital in helping us meet the electricity needs of our customers.”

The existing aging controls are becoming obsolete and will soon no longer be supported by the manufacturer, making maintenance and repair difficult. Emerson will replace legacy controls on the power block’s GE Frame 7FA gas turbines and GE D11 steam turbine with Ovation control technology, and the GE EX2000 systems with its Ovation generator excitation technology. The new controls will seamlessly integrate with existing Ovation systems already controlling balance-of-plant equipment and processes, as well as Emerson’s Ovation Security Center, which streamlines the execution of cyber-security measures related to compliance with the North American Electric Reliability Council (NERC) Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) standards. The contract also calls for Emerson to supply auto synchronizers.

Equipment delivery will take place in October, and the first retrofitted power block is expected to be back online in December 2014.

“We’re gratified by Entegra Power Group’s ongoing confidence in our technologies and people," said Bob Yeager, president of Emerson Process Management's Power & Water Solutions. “We believe this controls retrofit, along with a newfound ability to control the entire power block using a single unified automation platform, will not only help enhance reliability, but also provide Union Power Partners further opportunities for operational improvement.”

About Emerson Process Management
Emerson Process Management, an Emerson business, is a leader in helping businesses automate their production, processing and distribution in the chemical, oil and gas, refining, pulp and paper, power, water and wastewater treatment, mining and metals, food and beverage, life sciences and other industries. The company combines superior products and technology with industry-specific engineering, consulting, project management and maintenance services. Its brands include PlantWeb, Syncade, DeltaV, Fisher, Bettis, Micro Motion, Rosemount, Daniel, Ovation and AMS Suite.

About Emerson
Emerson (NYSE:EMR), based in St. Louis, Missouri (USA), is a global leader in bringing technology and engineering together to provide innovative solutions for customers in industrial, commercial, and consumer markets around the world. The company is comprised of five business segments: Process Management, Industrial Automation, Network Power, Climate Technologies, and Commercial & Residential Solutions. Sales in fiscal 2013 were $24.7 billion.

Ovation, Scenario, SureService, SmartProcess, PlantWeb, Syncade, Fisher, Micro Motion, Rosemount, Daniel, DeltaV and AMS are marks owned by one of the Emerson Process Management legal entities. Other marks are the property of their respective owners.

Did you Enjoy this Article?

Check out our free e-newsletters
to read more great articles.

Subscribe Now