The Blue Water Energy Centre is a 1.15GW natural gas-fired combined-cycle power project (CCPP) under construction in Michigan, US.
Detroit-based DTE Energy is developing the project with an estimated investment of £815.6m ($1bn).
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The construction works were started in August 2019 with the plant commissioning expected by June 2022.
The gas-fired power station is expected to generate enough electricity to power approximately 850,000 homes while emitting 70% lesser carbon dioxide than coal-based power generation.
Location and site details
The Blue Water Energy Centre (BWEC) combined-cycle power project is located in East China Township, St. Claire County, Michigan, US, approximately 44 miles northeast of Detroit,
The project site occupies approximately 30 acres, adjacent to the existing Belle River coal and gas-fired power plant, which is also owned and operated by DTE Energy.
Plant make-up
The Blue Water Energy Centre will comprise two GE H-class gas turbine and generator sets, along with heat recovery steam generators (HRSGs), steam turbines, and a distributed control system (DCS).
The other components of the plant include an auxiliary boiler, demineralisation water treatment system, a cooling tower, a condenser, circulating water pumps, oil/water separator and underground tanks, raw water treatment system, general service pumps, boiler feed pumps, underground and above ground piping, pipe rack and stacks.
The electrical system and accessories include general step-up transformers (GSUs), main auxiliary transformers (MUT), switch relay panels and enclosures, transmission lead line poles, conductors and insulators, electrical banks, cables, and a switchyard.
The other infrastructure facilities for the project site include a raw water intake structure, warehouses, an administration building, and roads.
Natural gas supply
The Blue Water Energy Centre power project will receive up to 80 million dekatherm (Mdth) of feed gas a day from the Vector gas pipeline through a short, lateral pipeline connection having metering instruments.
Contractors involved
Kiewit Engineering Company received a notice to proceed with the engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) works for Blue Water Energy Centre (BWEC) power project in April 2018.
General Electric (GE) was subcontracted by Kiewit for the manufacturing and supply of turbines and generators, along with the associated equipment.
Commercial Contracting Corporation (CCC) was engaged as the general contractor for the project activities, while MIOSHA has been engaged for the construction work of the project through a partnership agreement signed in October 2019.
Flenco was subcontracted by GE for the supply of auxiliary systems, while Doublejack Electrical Company was subcontracted for the installation of power and lighting in the power plant.
Helix Steel was subcontracted for the supply of Helix 5-25 Micro-Rebar concrete reinforcement for the project.
Blue Water Energy Centre power project background
A certificate of necessity (CON) for the gas-fired power project was approved by the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) in April 2018.
The BWEC project is being developed to replace the coal-fired units, including the River Rouge unit three, five units at the St. Claire power station, and the Trenton Channel unit five, that are planned to go offline between 2022 and 2023.
