GE Consulting Services in South America

As part of commissioning Brazil’s largest gas power plant—incorporating numerous GE-designed systems—for operation, power company CELSE commissioned GE CS to conduct a pre-operational electromagnetic transient (EMT) study to assess the impact that connecting the plant to the 500kV transmission grid would have.

The study’s final issue and additional grid code compliance tests GE CS conducted enabled the plant to commence commercial operation, resulting in an estimated $800K(US) in daily revenue for the power company.

ONS—Brazil’s national electric company—commissioned a study to assess the risk of sub-synchronous torsional interactions (SSTI)—that is, vibrations—between the PAMPA SUL plant and the MELO high-voltage direct current (HVDC) back-to-back (BtB) plant in Uruguay. The study was essential to authorize commercial operation of PAMPA SUL.

GE CS conducted a deep investigation and recommended possible methods to mitigate SSTI phenomena. The study helped ONS develop strategies necessary to combat SSTI and built strong credibility between GE and ONS, an important South American customer.

ONS sought to uprate 18 fixed series capacitors (FSCs) along Brazil’s North/South Interconnection, a single 500kV compact transmission line. The line can transmit up to 1300mW of power and has operated reliably since it was first energized in 1999. ONS believed that its transmission efficiency could be increased by implementing these new FSCs.

GE CS delivered information technology outsourcing (ITO) support and operability test report (OTR) studies for the FSCs, which ultimately won GE contracts to replace six of the eight FSC banks authorized by ONS, further solidifying South American confidence.