The plant with three gas-fired Wärtsilä 50SG engines will provide peaking power and support for wind energy.
Expected to become operational in January 2017, the power station will enhance CMLP’s position in the electricity market.
CMLP director Gene Ratzlaff said: "Our current units take 6-8 hours to full load. We need much more flexibility in the Southwest Power Pool (SPP) market. We like the fact that Wärtsilä engines can go to full power in less than 10 minutes. That makes us much more competitive."
According to Wärtsilä and Ascend Analytics, an engine-based power plant has the capacity to make 740% more profit in the SPP market than a competing solution, open cycle gas turbine, as engines can follow electricity prices more rapidly and efficiently than gas turbines.
In the real-time market, electricity prices are very volatile and fast-starting engines will be capable of capturing unexpected price spikes, realizing profits in the dynamic dispatch market.
