Boavista II floating power plant: Innovative 42 MW barge-mounted solution for Luanda, Angola

Angola

The Boavista II floating power plant, a pioneering project awarded by Angola’s Ministry of Energy and Water to UTE Cueto-Soluciones, involves a 42 MW thermal power station installed on a non-propelled steel barge in Luanda’s port. This Boavista II floating power plant strengthens the electricity supply for a city of over 7 million residents, tackling infrastructure deficits caused by rapid population growth after the civil war. IDOM provided engineering and technical assistance throughout every phase, adapting the plant to the unique challenges of the offshore marine environment.

The gas turbine (GE 6B with 42.1 MW of power, sufficient capacity to supply energy to 70,000 inhabitants) was installed on a non-self-propelled steel barge in the port of Vigo, from where it was transported to Luanda by means of a semi submersible boat.

First floating power plant project developed and constructed in Spain.

The pontoon, built with a double hull, is 63 m in total length, 18 m of plot beam and 4 m of strut. Its hull houses ballast water tanks (950 m³), the pump room, diesel tanks (2,300 m³) to power the plant. Above deck are the main turbine equipment, an 11.5 / 63 kV power transformer, a GIS type substation, a water treatment plant, generator sets, auxiliary equipment, and warehouses. This floating power plant is connected to a Luanda power substation and a gas pipeline through which the fuel will arrive. The electrical connection to the dock is made by insulated cable supported by an exit portico and the supply of process and service fluids through flexible pipes.

DOM has participated in this project providing engineering services during the design and Technical Assistance phase during the construction, assembly and commissioning phases of the plant. The main challenges of this project have been to adapt a gas turbine power plant to the requirements of an offshore marine environment, mainly because of having to adapt the facilities to being anchored on a barge instead of being built on land (variable inclination of the hull, corrosion, etc.) and the turbine cooling system used (heat exchangers fed with seawater).

Floating Power Plants & Boats