John McCarthy
CHARLOTTE AMALIE — The Virgin Islands Water & Power Authority said it was completed a new 40MW battery energy storage system (BESS) project alongside upgrades to the Randolph Harley Power Plant (RHPP).
WAPA said the secret project was completed on July 24 when it began the final commissioning of the generators and BESS equipment next to the existing RHPP gas power plant in Charlotte Amalie West.
As Energy-Storage.news reported when the project neared completion last year, system integrator Wärtsilä provided a hybrid solution combining four 9MW fossil fuel engines together with a 9MW, 2-hour duration (18MWh) BESS unit. The company got the contract for the job in 2020, which was delayed due to Covid-19.
The fossil fuel engines totaling 32MW of power run on liquid petroleum gas (LPG) and light fuel oil (LFO).
Finland-headquartered Wärtsilä is active in supplying island power solutions, also providing a 25MW/25MWh BESS on another Carribean island, Curaçao.
Earlier this year, the Comisión Nacional De Energia of the Dominican Republic started construction on a 99MWh BESS in that country.
SOURCE: Energy Storage News
