Alstom to supply steam turbines for Brigg biomass power plant in UK

French power generation equipment manufacturer Alstom has won a contract from Burmeister & Wain Scandinavian Contractor (BWSC) to design and supply a 45MW geared reaction steam turbine (GRT) for the Brigg biomass power plant in the UK.

Once completed, the Brigg power plant will generate enough electricity to power about 70,000 homes while eliminating around 300,000 tonnes of CO2 per year.

The power plant, which would become operational from early 2016, will consume locally sourced straw as well as burn wood to generate electricity.

Alstom industrial steam turbines vice president Daniel Wahler said the company is working with BWSC again on a second UK project using GRT technology.

"The biomass market requires a more efficient steam turbine that can offer more power to the network, and Alstom’s GRT is designed to achieve this making it particularly effective in a growing market," Wahler added.

The GRT, which has been pre-assembled in an Alstom facility before shipment, requires a simple foundation to which the steam turbine generator package is anchored.

Alstom claims that GRT is suitable for efficient and flexible power production, and features a flexible modular concept and a plug-and-play package that reduce installation time.