The Thermo Systems team commenced commissioning of a rehabbed Stewart & Stevenson LM2500 gas turbine (pictured at left) at the Morris Energy Dartmouth Power Plant in Dartmouth, MA.  Thermo has been contracted by Morris Energy to design, build, and commission the redundant PLC and SCADA system which will integrate the LM2500 with the existing power generation turbines.

The Dartmouth Power Plant is currently operating a 40MW GE Frame 6 gas turbine and a 30MW steam turbine fed by the main turbine’s heat recovery steam generator. The current turbine is operated as a peaker and will come on line when requested by the power grid to increase capacity during peak demand.  The expansion project consists of adding the Stewart and Stevenson LM2500 Gas Turbine which will also operate as a peaker and will add another 20MW of capacity to the plant.

Thermo Systems has been tasked with designing and providing the Balance of Plant Control (BOPC) system for the expansion. The BOPC has been designed with redundant processors, redundant instrument power and redundant HMI to allow the plant to maintain operation in the event of a control system component failure.  Thermo Systems worked with Morris Energy and Concord Engineering Group to create a custom controls solution for the operation of the turbine and its ancillary systems.

This project is being led by Thermo Systems Control Systems Project Engineer Thomas Davis.  Tom is a graduate of Purdue University with extensive experience in the power and controls industry.