Guam power plant at 94%; opening anticipated Sept. 15
According to John M. Benavente, general manager of the Guam Power Authority;, the $500 million-plus Ukudu Combined Cycle Combustion Turbine Power Plant is at 93.96% completion.
Benavente briefed island leaders and local and international stakeholders at the GPA and the Consolidated Commission on Utilities Promoting Optimal Ways to Energy Resilience symposium at the Hyatt Regency Guam on April 7.
The plant’s three gas turbine units were able to operate a full load of 135 MW during a test on April 3, Benavente said.
He said that the plant is scheduled to be online by Sept. 15.
The Ukudu Combined Cycle Combustion Turbine Power Plant in Dededo. Photo by Skyler Obispo
Also presenting on the plant was Larry Johnson, a principal electrical engineer and senior project manager at Stanley Consultants. The firm has worked on the project since 2017. He said the plant’s construction is about 99% complete.
Stanley Consultants worked with GPA to oversee the design and make award and proposal recommendations for the project’s development.
The three gas turbine units are about the size of engines on a Boeing 777 aircraft, he said. Each turbine generates 44 MW and with a steam turbine that generates 66 MW and a Battery Energy Storage System on site, the total plant capacity is 198 MW.
After the plant's commissioning, annual fuel consumption will be reduced by 900,000 barrels.
Johnson said one of the design considerations on the project was resiliency.
The battery storage system can cover power generation in the event one of the turbines goes offline. Additionally, it provides “Black start” capabilities for the plant.
“If the island is black after it gets hit by a typhoon, [and] there’s no generation on the island, this battery will be capable of spinning up one of those gas turbines,” he said. “And once one of those gas turbines is up and running, it can start the second and the third one and you’ll have a lot of electricity for bringing the island back.”
The plant has an on-site 30-day supply of ultra-low-sulfur diesel if there is an interruption in the supply chain and a seven day supply of cooling water for the steam units.
Johnson said the plant was built with heavy duty steel to withstand natural disasters.
“It’ll take a typhoon, fine,” he said. “This is strong stuff. It’s not going to move.”
The Ukudu plant will undergo performance and reliability testing from May to September.
Benavente also briefed attendees on GPA’s current operations on Guam.
As of Sept. 30, 2024, the utility has generated approximately $546 million in revenues and holds approximately $823 million in assets.
Additionally, GPA has generated 85.3 MW in renewable energy and 379 MW in oil fired generation.
In the future, GPA is aiming to reach a 53% renewable energy generation goal by 2028 with an ongoing 132 MW solar farm project; awards for this project are under consideration. mbj
