Nebraska Utility Turns To Wärtsilä To Ensure Renewable Stability

Wärtsilä will supply equipment for a 156-MW multi-fuel engine power plant to Omaha Public Power District, a public electric utility in the state of Nebraska. The power plant will be part of the utility’s Power with Purpose project, which will add 400 to 600 MW of utility-scale solar generation along with additional dispatchable balancing power. Since the production of renewable energy varies over the day and is dependent on the weather situation, Wärtsilä’s technology will be used to balance the power generation to the grid and ensure system stability. The equipment will be delivered during the second half of 2022, and the plant is scheduled to begin commercial operations in May 2023.

The new Standing Bear Lake Station plant will be located in Douglas County, Nebraska, and will include nine 18-cylinder Wärtsilä 50DF engines operating on natural gas and light fuel oil as needed. Wärtsilä’s multi-fuel engine technology can burn natural gas, light fuel oil, and even hydrogen blends.

“We are excited to work together with Omaha Public Power District and support the continued journey toward net-zero carbon emissions and an increased share of renewables in their system,” said Håkan Agnevall, president and CEO at Wärtsilä. “With our holistic approach to power systems and expertise in different power-generating assets, we can support our customers in defining paths to future sustainable power generation.”