Combined cycle with Mitsubishi turbines starts commercial operation in Louisiana

The 980-MW Lake Charles Power Station in Louisiana began commercial operation this past weekend. The $872 million project provides cleaner emitting electricity as Entergy phases out its coal-fired, oil and older natural gas power portfolio.

Phillip May, CEO of Entergy Louisiana, noted that Lakes Charles Power Station was completed well ahead of its previously scheduled June start of operations. The power plant is in Westlake, La.

The power plant features Mitsubishi 501GAC gas turbines, which are air-cooled.

Lake Charles is one of three new CCGT plants that Entergy is having built in recent years. All of them ­- including Lake Charles, the J. Wayne Leonard Power Station and Montgomery County, Texas – all will be powered by MHPS turbines, with the Montgomery County being the last of the three under construction.

Construction began on the Westlake facility in August 2017. Over the past 15 years, Entergy has added approximately 8,500 MW of combined-cycle gas turbine generation, allowing for the deactivation of over 6,500 MW of older, less efficient gas or oil units.