31 Caterpillar gen-sets provide bridge power to SoEnergy

A bank of 31 containerized Caterpillar generator sets, combined with the Cat AMP system, are providing discreet additional power for SoEnergy. (Photo: Caterpillar)

After rising concerns about the strain placed on its national electricity grid, a Central American country has taken a proactive stance to avoid potential brownouts or worse by announcing an emergency bid to increase its power generation capacity. The solution came in the form of a bank of 31 containerized generator sets that can provide a total output of 35 MW and act as a discreet additional power plant for the utility, SoEnergy.

The gen-sets include 23 Caterpillar PM1360 industrial power modules alongside eight XQC1600 units, powered by the Cat 3512 and 3516C engines, respectively. Cat AMP (Active Management Platform), Caterpillar’s distributed energy resource management system (DERMS), enables the plant users to monitor asset health and view performance parameters and remote dispatch equipment, which Caterpillar said allows them to make timely decisions and operate efficiently.

“This modular power plant is an all-in power solution to the utility, where everything from the installation and monitoring, up to the operation of the plant, is provided for them,” said Tom Caldwell, vice president of Caterpillar’s energy systems division.

The AMP system is designed to bring distributed energy resources – ranging from gas and diesel gen-sets to solar panels and battery storage – into optimized use on any grid system. Its ability to connect to a standard SCADA system, and the flexibility of the site’s modular design, enabled a relatively simple commissioning process.

CAT AMP pulls together the data needed to interpret grid status and energy consumption, which it compiles into reports, and adds the essential control ability.

“Cat AMP will help SoEnergy in numerous ways, all the way from asset conditions, status and performance to operational dispatch,” Caldwell stated. “It’s a complete turnkey solution. To the grid, the 31 gen-sets appear just like any other conventional power plant, albeit one that could be delivered, built and commissioned remotely within a 10-week period.”

“The country is determined to build resilience into its grid and bring stability to its electrical distribution system,” said András Mesics, CEO of SoEnergy. “Tourism is one of its leading industries, and other major elements of the industrial economy rely heavily on electricity as an energy source. This solution has quickly been able to bring that much-needed peace of mind and secure additional capacity to ensure the lights stay on.”