Wärtsilä Introduces New Connector Module for Engine Power Plants

Technology group Wärtsilä introduces Wartsila Connector Module, an enhanced engine auxiliary module design for Wartsila’s proven 18V50SG Engine Power Plants. The new Wärtsilä Connector Module is a significant advancement in engineering, offering substantial improvements in the construction, installation, and commissioning processes for engine power plants.

The new Wärtsilä Connector offers several key features and benefits for power plant customers. 

The streamlined installation process allows the modules to be set in place permanently before engine installation. This enhanced approach enables engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractors to reduce the total construction time of Wärtsilä power plants by approximately three months.

By adopting the new design, projects are expected to experience improvements in construction cost and total construction time, reducing both the total installed cost of the facility and the time it takes from contract approval to achieving an operating power plant. 

Additionally, the Wärtsilä Connector Module improves the installation and commissioning schedule by 25%, saving thousands of skilled labor hours, thereby reducing costs for customers, EPC contractors, and project developers.

The Connector Module also provides space savings through an innovative new design methodology, allowing the engine powerhouse building width to be reduced by six feet or more. Across a multi-engine footprint, this represents significant cost reduction in foundation, powerhouse building, and related costs. 

Recognizing the upward trend in labor costs in the U.S. market since the pandemic, Wärtsilä has proactively addressed these challenges by working collaboratively with our engineering and construction partners to develop this innovative new Connector Module design. 

“By continuously improving the total power plant design solution, Wärtsilä is committed to supporting the evolving needs of its customers and partners, building on the 70+ customer power plant installations we support in the U.S. alone. This new module design is poised to revolutionize the way engine power plants are installed and commissioned, delivering unparalleled benefits to the market and as such is a game changer in the energy sector,” said Jon Rodriguez, Energy Business Director at Wärtsilä Energy. 

For more information about the Wärtsilä Connector Module and its impact on the U.S. energy sector, visit their website.