New power plant breaks records in Guatemala

A site 1,800 metres above sea-level, inclement weather and a design that needed to integrate an existing power plant; these were just three of the challenges that required world-class planning and project management from the Semco Maritime team when they embarked on an 18-month project to design, build and commission a new power plant in the mountains of Guatemala.

After eight months of careful design, risk assessment and planning, Semco Maritime’s  team in Guatemala were looking forward to receiving the two 370-tonne 16.6MW diesel engines that would drive the new power plant for GESCA. But before the engines and equipment could be unloaded, disaster struck.

“The rainfall was so heavy it washed away the soil under the bridge’s main supports, and it collapsed, taking out the main route from the harbour to the mainland,” says Project Director Flemming Daugaard, and adds, “But our team was prepared. We built a new road, and before long we were hauling our engines up the winding mountain roads toward the site, 1,800 metres above sea-level – and we didn’t lose any time on the project.”

The new power plant, Gecsa  II, was to be built right next to Gecsa I, GESCA’s existing 16MW power plant. The idea was to knit the two power plants together seamlessly so they would run as a single plant. Semco Maritime designed and built a completely new control room to run the entire plant.

Semco Maritime’s brief also included an agreement not to interfere with the existing plant’s operation during the construction of Gecsa II. In practical terms it meant not only designing around existing pipes and cables, but also carrying out heavy-duty construction work, including welding, two metres from tanks full of highly flammable fuel. Not surprisingly, onsite safety was extremely important.

The 300-strong onsite workforce consisted of people from a diverse mix of cultural and educational backgrounds, and managing safety onsite proved to be quite a challenge.

“Raising safety standards to internationally recognised levels involved making a firm commitment to onsite training from the early planning stages of the project,” says Flemming Daugaard.  “And it was worth it. We had zero incidents in 300,000 man hours during the project – an outstanding performance, and something our customers are coming to expect on Semco Maritime projects.”

At 1,800 metres above sea-level, this is the biggest power plant ever carried out at such high altitude in Guatemala. The two 16.6MW diesel engines are now operating smoothly, feeding 33.2MW into Guatemala’s national power grid.

“With excellent project management and a committed team onsite, we turned a project which posed some interesting challenges into ‘business as usual,’” says Flemming Daugaard. “The collaboration between design, procurement and construction was first-rate. And we’ve shown once again that our focus on risk assessment and project management really does prepare us for unforeseen events. We can confidently implement alternative action plans as needs arise, so we keep our clients’ costs to a minimum and ensure maximum protection for their assets.”