Singapore-based Twenty20 Energy Systems will design and build a new gas-fired power plant in Papua New Guinea's (PNG) Hela province on behalf of Dirio Gas & Power Company.

Owned by 11 registered land groups and the provincial governments of Hela and Gulf, Dirio Gas & Power will be the company's latest investment in the power generation business. The 66-megawatt gas-fired power plant will be built near ExxonMobil's rawhide modified atmosphere plant, from which it will receive all natural gas supplies. The power station will feature four 16.5MW Solar Turbines Titan 130 modular power stations in an open-cycle configuration to achieve the required total installed capacity of 66MW.

The electricity generated by the power plant will be supplied via interconnection to the Ramu grid, which is currently being extended further into the highlands. The groundbreaking ceremony for the power plant is scheduled for the third quarter of 2022 and is expected to be completed in 2024. Once built, the power plant will supply power to the Hella region, which is often subject to rolling blackouts. Twenty20 also agreed to provide operations and maintenance (O&M) services for the new power generation facility. The 20-year O&M service contract will begin on the date the construction and commissioning works are completed. Keywords: engineering construction, engineering news

In addition, Twenty20 Energy plans to acquire a stake in the power plant by investing 20% of the required funds for the construction of the project with Dirio. Geoff Lawrence, CEO of Twenty20 Energy, said: “Working with PNG government officials and local residents, we have made great strides in transitioning parts of the country to a cleaner, more reliable electricity supply.” Creating the necessary infrastructure for a remote and geographically challenging area like Hela will require many innovative approaches that will ultimately improve the economy and lives of people in the region. "Editor/XingWentao