Wärtsilä will supply a 70MW captive power plant for the BUA’s new Sokoto cement production plant in Nigeria which follows an order for a 50MW power plant from the same customer just two years earlier
Both orders feature Wärtsilä 34DF dual-fuel engines operating primarily with liquefied natural gas (LNG), but with the flexibility to switch to an alternative fuel oil should there be interruptions to the gas supply, quality or pressure. Operation of the Wärtsilä engines is not affected by these interruptions.
Abdul Samad Rabiu, CON, chairman, BUA Cement and BUA Group, said, “To maintain our cement production requirements in line with our schedules and economic forecasts, we need reliable, fuel-efficient power generation. We also need capable and reliable after-market support, and in all these areas Wärtsilä is a strong partner with their local presence to provide excellent service. The decision to issue a repeat order for the new power plant from Wärtsilä was not, therefore, difficult to make.”
“Wärtsilä’s dual-fuel engine technology is particularly valuable where the primary fuel supply cannot be totally trusted. The flexibility and reliability of our solution were major considerations in the award of this contract, added to which the ability to operate on LNG considerably lessens the facility’s carbon footprint,” said Marc Thiriet, energy business director, Africa West, Wärtsilä.
It is estimated that the Wärtsilä solution will result in fuel cost savings of approximately 30% compared to the existing power plants operating on heavy fuel oil (HFO). Furthermore, the operational flexibility of the Wärtsilä engines provides future-proofing advantages enabling the potential use of energy from renewable sources, such as solar and wind.
The plant will operate on seven Wärtsilä 34DF engines scheduled for delivery mid-2022. The plant is expected to be fully operational in 2023.
