The site of Emporia Energy, the Westar peaking power plant being built at Roads 200 and S, is a far cry from the quiet 160-acre field it was nearly a year ago.
Today, the site is busy, filled with construction equipment, and the power plant is rapidly taking shape with the first phase set to be completed in only a few short months. The plant is designed to provide additional electric power during peak usage, such as hot summer days.
Westar Energy announced its plans in August 2006 to build the plant in Lyon County, which would cost $333 million. More than a year after the announcement, structures and equipment tower over the construction site. The power plant is visible from far down the road.
Derek Harvey, an engineer for Westar Energy, gave a tour of the plant site on Thursday afternoon. He said the switchyard, which transfers power from the turbines, is 95 percent complete. A few power lines are being hung in the switchyard. Some of the lines from the nearby Lang Substation will be routed to the new switchyard, Harvey added. Harvey said power from the substation goes to areas such as Wichita and Morris County, and a couple of smaller lines route power to local areas.
Several concrete walls stand between the switchyard and the area that holds the turbines. These serve as a buffer between the two areas in case one of the transformers in the switchyard catch fire. The wall keeps the fire away from the turbines, Harvey said.
Green pipes can be seen in the ground leading to the turbines will be. The pipes will carry natural gas. A new gas line had to be run to the site, Harvey said.
“It’s supposed to be completed by the end of the month,” he said.
A building about 120 feet by 80 feet is nearly completed and will hold the control room, where all the units will be monitored, Harvey said.
Two large water tanks stand near the front of the site. The water from one tank is reserve water to be used in case of a fire. The tank holds a million gallons of tap water. The other tank holds 500,000 gallons of purified water to be used in the turbines.
The first of the two construction phases at the plant is scheduled to be completed the first part of May. The first turbine firing will be in March, said Keith Ketcherside, project manager for Emporia Energy.
Ketcherside said all the natural-gas-fired turbines and generators for phase one have been received. Phase one includes the installation of a large turbine that will generate 155 megawatts and the installation of four smaller gas turbines derived from aircraft engines that will produce 40 megawatts each. The project’s second phase will include three large turbines and is scheduled to be completed in spring 2009.
ozland (anonymous) says...
Westar is a mistake. This corporation does not treat people fairly.
They have a record of exploiting their customers.
February 24, 2008 at 5:06 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
admireed (anonymous) says...
Details please.
February 24, 2008 at 6:58 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )