September 1, 2009

Top Plants: Livorno Ferraris Power Plant, Vercelli Province, Italy

Angela Neville, JD

Owned/operated by: E.ON Produzione Centrale Livorno Ferraris

Northern Italians are enjoying la dolce vita (the sweet life) even more today than they have historically, thanks to the additional electrical capacity provided by the new Livorno Ferraris power plant. Well-received by locals due to its environmentally progressive operations and low-profile appearance, the 800-MW plant is powered by combined-cycle units that burn natural gas. The plant, which generates more than 5 million kWh per year, is part of a comprehensive renewal of the Italian energy sector and will make an important contribution toward ensuring that the country’s power supply is more secure.

Known for its beauty, wine, and artistic legacy from the Renaissance period, Vercelli is a province in northern Italy’s Piedmont region that also is home to the busy industrial centers of Milan and Turin. The new gas-fired Livorno Ferraris power plant is located in the municipality of Livorno Ferraris, which has approximately 4,400 inhabitants. In addition to having many industrial facilities, the region is home to one of the largest rice cultivation areas in Europe. Commissioned in September 2008, the new 800-MW plant, which is nearly 57% efficient, is located in an area with numerous rice fields (Figure 1).


1. A bumper crop. An aerial view of the E.ON combined-cycle plant at Livorno Ferraris, Italy, which is located amid rice fields. The plant, which has an installed capacity of 800 MW and an efficiency of 57%, is capable of providing over a million households with an economical supply of eco-friendly electricity. Courtesy: E.ON

The plant is owned by E.ON Produzione Centrale Livorno Ferraris, a company of which E.ON Italia owns 75% and Berner Kraftwerke FMB (BKW) owns 25%, according to Plant Manager Frank Krüger. The turnkey contractor was the consortium of Siemens AG and Siemens SpA Italy. The environmentally friendly, highly efficient power plant generates approximately 5 TWh (5 million kWh) per year and was installed for roughly €400 million (estimated in July 2009). Approximately 40 jobs have been generated in Livorno Ferraris by the new power plant.