CPV, GE Vernova Bring 1.2-GW Gas-Fired Plant Online in Illinois

Competitive Power Ventures (CPV) said the company’s new 1.2-GW Three Rivers Energy Center in Illinois has entered commercial operation. The natural gas-fired facility, built in collaboration with GE Vernova’s Gas Power business, features two generating blocks, each with a GE 7HA.02 gas turbine, an STF-A650 steam turbine, a W84 generator, and GE’s integrated Mark* Vle control system to provide gas turbine generator control and performance visibility.

The Three Rivers’ plant is located in Goose Lake Township in Grundy County, in northern Illinois southwest of Chicago. It will serve the PJM market.

“Over the many years we have collaborated with GE Vernova, we value the company’s advanced technology, services, and strategic financing capabilities and demonstrated partnership in bringing our third HA-powered plant project to completion,” said Gary Lambert, CEO of Competitive Power Ventures (CPV), who announced the plant’s start-up on August 17. “The strong relationships between CPV and GE built while executing complex power generation projects like Three Rivers demonstrate what is possible with a strong partnership system, and CPV will continue to deliver projects that contribute to America’s energy sustainability by providing safe, reliable, cost effective and environmentally responsible power generation.”

GE Vernova in a news release said the steam turbines “play a critical role in CPV Three River Energy Center’s ability to compete in a dynamic energy market. The turbine configuration allows the plant to run at a lower output to reduce the need to shut down during low grid demand hours thus reducing cyclic load maintenance.” The group said the plant’s equipment will be monitored by GE’s Monitoring & Diagnostics Center in Atlanta, Georgia.

“CPV Three Rivers is the third GE HA-powered project successfully developed with the CPV team now providing highly efficient, reliable, and lower-carbon electricity for American homes and businesses,” said Scott Strazik, CEO of GE Vernova. “GE and CPV’s long-standing relationship is built on collaboration, technological excellence, and proven project expertise—and GE proudly celebrates this latest milestone with CPV.”

GE and CPV’s other combined cycle projects include the 805-MW CPV Towantic Energy Center in Oxford, Connecticut, which has operated since May 2018. GE Vernova and CPV also built the 1,050-MW CPV Fairview Energy Center in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, which entered commercial operation in December 2019. The plant received a POWER Top Plant award in 2020.

GE said more than 140 of the company’s gas turbines have been ordered by more than 55 customers in 21 countries.

CPV, headquartered in Silver Spring, Maryland, and with offices in Braintree, Massachusetts, and San Francisco, California. has developed or monetized 21 projects totaling 13 GW of natural gas-fired and renewable generation assets. The company at present manages about 7.8 GW of fossil and renewable generating facilities in nine states.

—Darrell Proctor is a senior associate editor for POWER (@POWERmagazine).