Siemens wins service contract for solar-combined cycle hybrid power plant

Siemens Energy has been awarded a contract to provide long-term maintenance services at Algeria's first solar-combined cycle hybrid power plant. The order was placed by Abengoa for its 150 megawatt solar hybrid plant operating at the Hassi R'Mel natural gas field in northern Algeria. The contract includes preventative and corrective maintenance for two SGT-800 gas turbines, which Siemens installed in April 2011.

The service contract for the gas turbines will help to ensure long-term reliability and predictable maintenance costs for Abengoa at Hassi R'Mel solar-combined cycle hybrid power plant which started operation in May 2011. The plant generates electricity through both the 25-MW parabolic trough solar collectors field and a 130-MW 2x1 CCPP (Combined Cycle Power Plant).

Fired by natural gas

Located at Algeria's largest natural gas field, the plant consists of 224 parabolic trough collectors that cover an area of 180,000 square meters. The gas turbine and steam cycle are fired by natural gas, with the steam turbine receiving additional solar-generated steam during the day.

Integrated Solar Combined Cycle (ISCC) technology combines the environmental benefits of solar energy with the operational advantages of a 'conventional' combined cycle plant. The heat generated by the solar field decreases the already low emissions of a combined cycle power plant and increases the efficiency even more.