Rio Nogales Project

Location: Seguin, TX

Owner: Constellation Power

Year: 2002

The Rio Nogales project is a natural gas fired, 3 on 1 combined cycle plant, with a rated output of 840 MW. Major plant components include three GE 7FA combustion turbines, a GE steam turbine, three NEM HRSG's, a Westinghouse Ovation DCS system, and an associated 345 kV switchyard. Water for the project is either recycled municipal waste water or city water, and is treated by clarification, filtration, reverse osmosis, and CDI.

Startup Operations Services provided full startup, commissioning, and initial operations of the facility. Supporting work included the development of a detailed Prima Vera startup schedule, system startup packages, a startup manual, all required test procedures, and incorporation of operator training. Major startup activities included backfeed and energization, chemical cleaning, hydrolyzing of steam piping, steam blows, coordination of RATA testing of the CEMS, third party emissions testing, performance testing, and the reliability run.

Substantial completion of Rio Nogales was one month early, and the project was completed under budget.