GE Energy To Supply 14-MW Cogeneration Gas Engine Plant to Romania's Vest Energo

Vest Energo will install the gas engine plant at its district heating facility in Romania's capital Bucharest.

"The project will be powered by four of GE's most powerful Jenbacher "Type 6" gas engines," GE Energy said in a statement late on Monday. Vest Energo is building a natural gas-fueled co-generation plant that serves residential and commercial customers in Bucharest. Co-generation is more efficient and consumes less fossil fuel than separate heating and power generation equipment.

The plant will be powered by two of GE's 3-MW, J620 GS units and two of GE's newest 4-MW, J624 GS engines, providing a total of 14 MW of electricity and 13.5 MW of thermal power. "Phase One" will use J620 GS units that will be in service by the end of 2008. "Phase Two" will feature the J624 GS units and is scheduled to be commissioned by October 2009, GE said.

Romania, which joined the European Union last year, plans to modernise its local heating districts and increase national energy efficiency standards in order to comply with the bloc's efficiency guidelines. The EU has urged member countries to expand the use of cogeneration in order to reach efficiency goals.