Natural Gas-Fired Facility Will Meet Over Half of Calgary's Electricity Requirements

Black & Veatch, in partnership with a Canadian constructor, is providing engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) for ENMAX Energy’s new Shepard Energy Centre. This 800 megawatt (MW) natural gas-fired combined cycle facility uses the most advanced natural gas technologies available in the marketplace today. It will provide reliable electricity for over half of Calgary’s 1.2 million metropolitan residents.

“ENMAX Energy is going through a phase where the existing coal-fired facilities will be retired over the next 15 years. That represents about 60 percent of our current generation in the province of Alberta. So, gas-fired plants like Shepard Energy Centre will be a good first start in replacing aging infrastructure. This will also improve our overall emissions profiles while providing a safe and reliable course of electric generation.”

David Rehn, Executive Vice President, Generation, ENMAX Corporation

Saving Fresh Water

The Shepard Energy Centre will feature two 240-MW natural gas-fired combustion turbine generators and one 320-MW steam turbine generator. The plant’s arrangement is based on Mitsubishi G Class gas turbine generators and includes two Vogt heat recovery steam generators with significant duct firing capability to augment power during peak hours.

One of ENMAX Energy’s complex issues was building within the city limits of Calgary and needing vast quantities of water for process and cooling.

“As part of the project’s design, makeup water to meet all the process and cooling water requirements will utilize tertiary water from a Calgary wastewater treatment plant, ultimately resulting in a large saving in the amount of freshwater used for the plant,” said Bruce Van Heest, Project Manager, Black & Veatch.