Challenges
- Urgent need to meet higher than usual demand during peak tourist season
- Space-constrained location for power plant
- Need for power-dense, low-emission solution
Background
In late 2011, the Caribbean island of Martinique was experiencing a power shortfall due to higher than usual energy demands during the peak tourist season. Work to upgrade existing power generation equipment was in progress, but delays in the maintenance schedule prompted load shedding. The resulting sudden decrease in installed generation capacity caused spontaneous power outages across the island. Martinique’s electricity authority, Electricité de France S.A. (EDF), needed a fast-track power solution to provide electricity during high-demand periods, as well as bridging power while it performed necessary improvements to its installed capacity.
Solution
In 2011, EDF awarded APR Energy a 20MW contract for the fast-track installation and operation of a single FT8® MOBILEPAC® gas turbine. This advanced technology offered advantages over alternative sources of fast-track power due to its ability to meet the lower emissions and noise levels required by Martinique’s environmental regulations. Just seven days after the equipment arrived on site, the MOBILEPAC© was fully operational, providing 20MW of available electrical capacity to serve the island’s grid via the Martinique EDF transmission network at Pointe des Carrières power station.
Outcome
The plant successfully met the peak demands of the island, and provided EDF with the power to bridge the supply and demand gap while it worked to restore service and continue maintenance on existing plants. In 2012, EDF exercised an option to extend the APR Energy contract, ensuring that it had the necessary capacity throughout the following peak demand season as it transitioned to permanent, long-term power solutions. In 2013, APR Energy worked alongside EDF to relocate the power plant to the Bellefontaine power station in order to meet the customer’s changing power needs.