Wärtsilä to Provide Critical Balancing Capability for new Kentucky Power Plant

­Technology group Wärtsilä will supply the engineering and equipment for a new power plant project to be installed in Madisonville, Kentucky, USA. The order has been placed by Kentucky Municipal Energy Agency (KYMEA) and was booked by Wärtsilä in Q3, 2024. When commissioned, the plant will provide the grid balancing capabilities necessary to allow the utility to increase its share of energy from renewable sources. The power plant will also protect KYMEA's members from price volatility in electricity markets.

The KYMEA Energy Center I is a natural gas electric generating facility. The 75 MW plant will operate with four Wärtsilä 50SG engines running on natural gas. The fast starting and stopping feature of the engines will provide the flexibility and rapid response to fluctuations in the availability of wind and solar power.

“The technology employed by the new KYMEA Energy Center I allows the units to seamlessly integrate with KYMEA’s renewable energy portfolio. The Wärtsilä engines will ensure that we can maintain a consistent and reliable energy supply. We are thrilled that this adaptability will make KYMEA Energy Center I a cornerstone in the transition to a more sustainable energy mix,” says Doug Buresh, President and CEO of KYMEA.

KYMEA serves the current and future electric power and energy requirements of eleven Kentucky municipalities. The Energy Center is expected to be fully operational in spring 2027.

“The flexibility and reliability of the Wärtsilä 50SG engines provide the needed support to the ongoing transition towards a decarbonised power sector,” comments Risto Paldanius, Vice President, Americas at Wärtsilä Energy. “The KYMEA project is a perfect example of this, and we are delighted to provide the technology that can deliver a sustainable energy solution to the utility.”

Wärtsilä has a strong presence in the USA, having established its operations there in 1979. Wärtsilä North America Inc employs more than 900 professionals in 11 regional locations serving the commercial power, maritime and oil & gas markets in the United States.