Gatún power station

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Gatún power station (Planta Eléctrica Gatún) is an operating fossil gas-fired power station in Isla Telfers, Colón, Panama. It is also known as Generadora Gatún, Telfers power station.

Location

Table 1: Project-level location details

Plant name Location Coordinates (WGS 84)
Gatún power station Isla Telfers, Colón, Panama 9.33313, -79.904951 (exact)[1][2]

The map below shows the exact location of the power station.

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Unit-level coordinates (WGS 84):

  • 1: 9.33313, -79.904951

Project Details

Table 2: Unit-level details

Unit name Status Fuel(s) Capacity (MW) Technology CHP Start year
1 Construction[3][4][5][6][7][8][9] fossil gas: LNG[2] 670[10][4][2] combined cycle[10][5] not found 2024 (planned)[11][12][13][5][8][7][14][9]

CHP is an abbreviation for Combined Heat and Power. It is a technology that produces electricity and thermal energy at high efficiencies. Coal units track this information in the Captive Use section when known.

Table 3: Unit-level ownership and operator details

Unit name Operator Owner Parent
1 Generadora Gatún[15] Grupo Energy Gas Panamá [100%][4][16] InterEnergy Group Ltd [51.0%]; AES Panamá SRL [24.7%]; AES Corp

Background

Plans to build the Gatún power station (originally known as the Telfers power station) were first announced in 2014, but the plant remained on hold and surrounded by controversy[17], ultimately losing its license in December 2017.[17][18]

In May 2021, the environmental permitting process for the plant began anew[19], and on June 1, 2021, President Laurentizo Cortizo announced the project would move forward as part of Panama's transition towards cleaner electricity generation.[20] The station was initially expected to cost approximately US $1 billion and become operational between late 2023 and early 2024.[20][21] Electricity from the Gatún plant was intended to replace lost capacity from older diesel-fired plants scheduled for decommissioning in 2023 as part of Panama's move to modernize its energy mix.[21]

In summer 2021, the plant's concession was acquired by Grupo Energy Gas Panamá, who announced the power station would be called the Gatún Generator.[22][23][24]

Construction of the plant began in March 2022[25][26][27] and was expected to take 32 to 34 months.[28] Plans called for the plant to use natural gas supplied by AES Corporation's Costa Norte LNG Terminal.[29]

In early Oct 2024, the two gas turbines at the Gatún power station began commercial operations, with a combined capacity of 440 MW. The plant's steam turbine was expected to come online for testing in late Oct or early Nov 2024, allowing Gatún to operate at its full 670 MW capacity.[30][31]

Articles and Resources

References

  1. https://web.archive.org/web/20240125140835/https://www.google.com/maps/place/Posco,+E%26C+Gatun+Project/@9.3339561,-79.9064859,547m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m6!3m5!1s0x8fab6dffe88a2321:0x66818ffedb1ea54c!8m2!3d9.333192!4d-79.9048177!16s%2Fg%2F11thnczp4x?entry=tts. Archived from the original on 25 January 2024. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 https://web.archive.org/web/20240125133430/https://generadoragatun.com/. Archived from the original on 25 January 2024. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  3. https://web.archive.org/web/20240125110822/https://www.tvn-2.com/nacionales/planta-electrica-fantasma-ng-power-panama_1_1053974.html. Archived from the original on 25 January 2024. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 https://web.archive.org/web/20240125103750/https://www.infobae.com/en/2022/03/23/natural-gas-power-plant-built-in-panama-with-usd-1-billion-investment/. Archived from the original on 25 January 2024. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 https://web.archive.org/web/20240125134732/https://generadoragatun.com/preguntas-frecuentes/. Archived from the original on 25 January 2024. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  6. https://web.archive.org/web/20240125134735/https://forbescentroamerica.com/2023/06/13/la-generadora-de-electricidad-mas-grande-de-centroamerica. Archived from the original on 25 January 2024. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  7. 7.0 7.1 https://generadoragatun.com/generadora-gatun-completa-de-manera-exitosa-la-conexion-al-sistema-interconectado-de-panama/. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  8. 8.0 8.1 https://www.panamaamerica.com.pa/economia/generadora-gatun-se-conecta-al-sistema-electrico-1233006. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  9. 9.0 9.1 https://web.archive.org/web/20240125110836/https://www.presidencia.gob.pa/Noticias/Presidente-Cortizo-Cohen-participa-del-inicio-de-la-construccion-de-una-nueva-planta-electrica-en-Gatun-. Archived from the original on 25 January 2024. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  10. 10.0 10.1 https://web.archive.org/web/20240125104011/https://www.ge.com/news/press-releases/ge-secures-combined-cycle-power-plant-equipment-order-for-generadora-gatun-in-panama. Archived from the original on 25 January 2024. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  11. https://www.aes.com/blog/savings-natural-gas. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  12. https://web.archive.org/web/20240125120139/https://www.anpanama.com/14366-Construccion-de-Generadora-Gatun-lleva-un-60-de-avance-.note.aspx. Archived from the original on 25 January 2024. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  13. https://web.archive.org/web/20240125135408/https://forbescentroamerica.com/2023/06/13/la-generadora-de-electricidad-mas-grande-de-centroamerica. Archived from the original on 25 January 2024. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  14. https://www.martesfinanciero.com/portada/generadora-gatun-comenzara-suministro-de-energia-en-octubre/. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  15. https://web.archive.org/web/20240125131924/https://generadoragatun.com/acerca-de-gegp/. Archived from the original on 25 January 2024. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  16. https://web.archive.org/web/20240125121933/https://www.argusmedia.com/news/1971354-gaslog-signs-fsu-charter-for-panama-power-project. Archived from the original on 25 January 2024. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  17. 17.0 17.1 "Energía en Panamá: La planta eléctrica fantasma". TVN. October 13, 2021. Retrieved January 20, 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  18. "Cancelan licencia de NG Power para planta de Gas en Panamá". ANPanamá (in español). December 21, 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  19. "BNamericas - Environmental permitting begins for 670MW Pa..." BNamericas.com. Retrieved 2021-07-01.
  20. 20.0 20.1 "Panama Announces Plans for $1 Billion Natural Gas Plant". Hart Energy. Retrieved 2021-07-01.
  21. 21.0 21.1 "Panama aims to end coal imports, produce ethanol to cut emissions - minister". Reuters. September 29, 2021.
  22. "Grupo Energy Gas, adquiere concesión de planta de gas de NG Power". Archived from the original on July 12, 2022. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  23. "Planta de generación eléctrica a base de gas bajará costo de la electricidad". Metrolibre. June 2, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  24. "InterEnergy y AES inician proyecto de gas natural en Panamá". Energía Hoy. June 3, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  25. https://www.presidencia.gob.pa/Noticias/Presidente-Cortizo-Cohen-participa-del-inicio-de-la-construccion-de-una-nueva-planta-electrica-en-Gatun-. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  26. "Natural Gas Power Plant Built in Panama with USD 1 Billion Investment". infobae. Archived from the original on July 9, 2022. Retrieved July 11, 2022.
  27. "Panamá recibirá antes de junio el plan de conversión de la central eléctrica de First Quantum". Minería en Línea. February 9, 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  28. https://web.archive.org/web/20221202033543/https://gegpanama.com/preguntas-frecuentes/. {{cite web}}: |archive-url= requires |archive-date= (help); Missing or empty |title= (help)
  29. "GE Secures Combined Cycle Power Plant Equipment Order for Generadora Gatún in Panama - GE News". Archived from the original on July 9, 2022. Retrieved July 11, 2022.
  30. "Arranca en Panamá operación comercial de generadora eléctrica de 1.200 millones de dólares". Infobae. 2024-10-02.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  31. "InterEnergy anuncia inicio operaciones en Panamá de la planta de gas natural más grande de Centroamérica y el Caribe". 7 Días. 2024-10-22.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)

Additional data

To access additional data, including an interactive map of gas-fired power stations, a downloadable dataset, and summary data, please visit the Global Oil and Gas Plant Tracker on the Global Energy Monitor website.