MMWEC Simple Cycle Gas Turbine power station
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MMWEC Simple Cycle Gas Turbine power station is a power station under construction in Peabody, Essex, Massachusetts, United States. It is also known as Project 2015A, Peabody Peaker power plant.
Location
Table 1: Project-level location details
| Plant name | Location | Coordinates (WGS 84) |
|---|---|---|
| MMWEC Simple Cycle Gas Turbine power station | Peabody, Essex, Massachusetts, United States | 42.54342, -70.92797 (exact)[1] |
The map below shows the exact location of the power station.
Unit-level coordinates (WGS 84):
- GT1: 42.54342, -70.92797
Project Details
Table 2: Unit-level details
| Unit name | Status | Fuel(s) | Capacity (MW) | Technology | CHP | Start year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GT1 | Construction[2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9] | fossil gas: natural gas, fossil liquids: fuel oil[10][1] | 65[4][3][11] | gas turbine[4] | no[1] | 2024 (planned)[4][2] |
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 | Owner | Parent |
|---|---|---|
| GT1 | Massachusetts Municipal Wholesale Electric Co [100%][1] | Massachusetts Municipal Wholesale Electric Co [100.0%] |
Background
Project 2015A is a capacity reliability resource constructed in Peabody, Massachusetts, on a site shared with the Peabody Municipal Light Plant. 2015A was planned to be dispatched by ISO New England during limited times of system stress or high energy usage. As a capacity and fast-start reserve resource, 2015A was estimated to run an average of only 2.72% of the time, equivalent to approximately 239 hours per year.[12] As of June 2024, the construction was complete, but the plant was not in commercial operation yet.[13] The plant began operating sometime between July and August 2024, shortly after its name was changed to Northeast Reliability Center.[14][15]
Opposition
An article published online by GBH News in July 2024, highlights concerns by climate activists and local healthcare providers related to the plant, saying that the new peabody 'peaker' power plant was "preparing to go online less green than promised." According to the online source, MMWEC promised a plant that could run 100% on green hydrogen, but its paper projections told a very different story. In November 2021, the company stated that the plant would begin operating with a 10% blend of hydrogen, and that "the plant is equipped to accommodate a maximum 30% hydrogen fuel blend," far below the promised 100% hydrogen capabilities.[16]
In an earlier article published in July 2021, the Sierra Club made similar analyses, adding that MMWEC should have waited to construct the plant, as the required technology to burn either ammonia or 100% hydrogen is not currently available, and the desired green fuels are not yet economically viable.[17]
Most recently, in August 2024, concerns were raised because the plant's developers "won't share how often it's running - or if it's running at all." The policy, according to the company's spokesperson, is meant to protect generator-specific data to prevent advantages and maintain a fair and competitive energy market. However, locals are concerned and have organized at least three separate protests against the plant.[15]
Articles and Resources
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 https://web.archive.org/web/20211122185052/https://www.eia.gov/electricity/data/eia860m/archive/xls/july_generator2021.xlsx. Archived from the original on 22 November 2021.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ 2.0 2.1 https://web.archive.org/web/20230509053328/https://www.eia.gov/electricity/data/eia860m/. Archived from the original on 09 May 2023.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|archive-date=(help); Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ 3.0 3.1 https://www.mass.gov/doc/peabody-massachusetts-municipal-wholesale-electric-co-july-2022/download.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 https://web.archive.org/web/20230918190319/https://www.eia.gov/electricity/data/eia860m/archive/xls/may_generator2023.xlsx. Archived from the original on 18 September 2023.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ (PDF) https://web.archive.org/web/20220709062955/https://www.project2015a.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Project-2015A-FAQ-7-8-1.pdf. Archived from the original (PDF) on 09 July 2022.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|archive-date=(help); Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ (PDF) https://web.archive.org/web/20221005140924/https://www.project2015a.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/MMWEC-2015A-Statement-3-22-final.pdf. Archived from the original (PDF) on 05 October 2022.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|archive-date=(help); Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20221209012201/https://www.wbur.org/news/2022/12/08/peabody-peaker-natural-gas-dep-permit. Archived from the original on 09 December 2022.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|archive-date=(help); Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20221210073951/https://www.wbur.org/news/2022/04/08/peabody-peaker-natural-gas-power-massachusetts. Archived from the original on 10 December 2022.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20230321051156/https://www.project2015a.org/updates/. Archived from the original on 21 March 2023.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ (PDF) https://web.archive.org/web/20240610182246/https://wbmlp.org/docs/project-2015A/Peabody-Public-Meeting-Slides-2021-06-22-ACC.pdf. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 June 2024.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20230504144413/https://www.project2015a.org/what-is-project-2015a/. Archived from the original on 04 May 2023.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|archive-date=(help); Missing or empty|title=(help) - ↑ "PROJECT 2015A". www.project2015a.org. 2023. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "Preliminary Monthly Electric Generator Inventory (based on Form EIA-860M as a supplement to Form EIA-860)". EIA. May 23, 2024. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ Writer, Caroline Enos | Staff (2024-08-15). "Officials won't say how often new Peabody peaker runs". Salem News. Retrieved 2024-10-16.
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 Enos, Caroline (August 15, 2024). "Officials won't say how often new Peabody peaker runs". The Salem News. Retrieved October 16, 2024.
{{cite web}}: Check|archive-url=value (help)CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "New Peabody 'peaker' power plant prepares to go online less green than promised". GBH. 2024-07-05. Retrieved 2024-10-16.
- ↑ www.sierraclub.org https://www.sierraclub.org/massachusetts/blog/2021/07/proposed-peaker-power-plant-peabody-unnecessary-harmful-and-costly. Retrieved 2024-10-16.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help)
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.
