(EnergyAsia, July 25 2012, Wednesday) — Wartsila, the Finland-based supplier of flexible and efficient power plant solutions, said it has secured its largest order to date with the award of a contract for a 384 MW gas-fired power plant from Azerbaijan.

Azerenerji JSC, the state-owned utility, will own and operate the Boyuk Shor power plant located close to the capital Baku city.

Wartsila said it will deliver and install 21 of its 50SG engines along with related auxiliaries and process equipment for the plant which supply electricity to the Baku regional grid when it starts up in late 2013.

Vesa Riihimäki, Group Vice President for Wartsila Power Plants, said:

“Wartsila’s already strong presence and unmatched track record in Azerbaijan is further enhanced with this important order. Over the years we have developed a good relationship with Azerenerji and have worked closely with the company to develop its electricity supply capacity. We have, at the same time, proven our ability to deliver on a fast-track basis, which was a major reason for us being awarded this contract.”

Present in Azerbaijan since the mid-1990s, Wartsila has supplied seven power plants with a total of 860 MW of power generating capacity to the fast-growing Central Asian country.

Wartsila said its 50SG model is a four-stroke, spark-ignited gas engine operating on the Otto cycle and incorporating the lean-burn principle. It has been designed to use the proven gas technology used in the smaller 34SG engine. An important feature of this engine is its exceptionally high power plant net electrical efficiency rating, measured at more than 50% in combined-cycle mode.