Siemens powers Temple I with First Flex-Plant™ in Texas

Panda Power Funds and Siemens Energy Inc. dedicated the Panda Temple Power Project in Temple, Texas. This is the first Flex-Plant in commercial operation in Texas. Siemens Energy supplied the natural-gas-fired Combined Cycle Power Plant (CCPP) in consortium with its partner, Bechtel. The generating station is a Siemens’ Flex-Plant configuration, with a gross installed electrical capacity of 758 megawatts (MW). Flex-Plant combined cycle power plants offer high efficiency and operational flexibility, providing the right solution for balancing renewables. Temple I will be able to supply the power needs of approximately 750,000 homes in the Central and North Texas regions.

The natural-gas-fired Panda Temple Flex-Plant is located at the South Temple Industrial Park in Temple, Texas. Siemens provided the thermodynamic cycle design and Power Island engineering. Siemens delivered two F-class gas turbines, one steam turbine, three generators, and the instrumentation and control system as well as the heat recovery steam generators (manufactured by NEM USA Corp) and other key cycle components. A long-term service agreement is also in place for the main generation components. Bechtel was responsible for the balance of the plant engineering, overall plant construction, procurement, and led the commissioning of the facility.

“Siemens’ fast and efficient Flex-Plant technology is a perfect fit in balancing intermittent renewable resources and providing low cost electricity,” said Martin Tartibi, Senior Executive Vice President at Siemens Energy Solutions Americas. “The Panda Temple plant is the third Flex-Plant in commercial operation in the United States and it will be considered one of the cleanest fossil-fueled plants in the nation.”

“Temple was our very first project working with Siemens, and we made the right choice," said Todd Carter, Senior Partner and President of Panda Power Funds. “We are impressed with their state of the art technological power plant solutions and service.”

The gas turbines, steam turbines and generators were manufactured at the Siemens North American manufacturing hub in Charlotte, North Carolina.

High-efficiency Flex-Plant combined-cycle power plants (CCPP) and the associated service are part of Siemens’ Environmental Portfolio. Around 43 percent of its total revenue stems from green products and solutions. That makes Siemens one of the world’s leading providers of eco-friendly technology.