The Kings Mountain Energy Centre is a 475MW natural gas-fired combined-cycle power plant that is currently being built in Kings Mountain, Cleveland County, which is located in North Carolina. The new facility is being developed by NTE Energy and by the time it is completed it is expected to be one of the cleanest and most efficient power generation plants in all of South Carolina.
The ground-breaking ceremony for the project took place in July 2015, with construction beginning in March 2016 and commissioning occurring by the fourth quarter of 2018. Once up and running the energy center will supply electricity to roughly 4000,000 homes.
The M501GAC gas turbine employs Mitsubishis GAC turbine technology in a combined-cycle configuration and the turbine is an air-cooled version of Mitsubishis G Series model. Natural gas for the power plant will be supplied via a direct interconnection to the Transcontinental Natural Gas Pipeline. The power generated from the Kings Mountain power plant will be supplied to a 230kV power transmission system operated by Duke Energy Carolinas.
The energy centre will also feature a water supply and treatment, wastewater, and fire protection system.
A new HRSG, including three industrial pump stations, will be installed to provide water for the plants processes. Designed to handle extreme water pumping conditions, the pump station will be installed with Goulds 7.5hp vertically configured, damage-proof pumps in a duplex configuration to meet the high pumping rate.
The power plant will be installed with gate valves and spring-return linear actuators, as well as fail-open pneumatic actuators that comprise limit switches and solenoids. ATI, an integrated manufacturer of valve automation solutions, provided linear valve actuators, while Volk Flow Controls provided gate valves for the power plant.
The engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract for the Kings Mountain Energy centre was awarded to Gemma Power Systems. Romtec Utilities provided lift station design and engineering services for the project.
Pictured: The Kings Mountain Energy Centre is a 475MW plant under construction in North Carolina, US.
Image courtesy of Kings Mountain Energy Center