RINA Performs Design Appraisal for CNG Power Plant

International classification and verification company RINA Services has performed the design approval for the world's largest Compressed Natural Gas storage plant in Grati, Indonesia. The CNG will feed the local 300 MW power plant.

The plant, operated by Indonesia’s PT PLN (Persero), burns up to 15 million standard cubic feet per day (mmscfd) of gas from the CNG storage, driving three gas turbines. Adding a CNG plant to the existing power station tackles the issue of peak load demand. The CNG storage takes in pipeline gas when the plant is not at full capacity. At peak load, the stored gas reserves boost the plant.

Angelo Lo Nigro, General Manager Energy Solutions, RINA Services, said, “RINA is a world leader in CNG technology approval. It is one of the only classification societies with direct experience of the use of CNG in the maritime field and has developed special rules for its future use. That expertise and experience is valued in the power generation field.”

Using CNG costs per unit of electricity are cut by two-thirds compared to fuel oil power and emissions for this plant are slashed by 254,000 metric tons of CO2 per year, 126.5 metric tons of SO2 per year and 3,500 metric tons of NO2 per year. The CNG system is owned and operated by PT Enviromate Technology International (ETI).

PLN is now extending the use of CNG for power generation by constructing CNG plants at Gresik, Tambak Lorok and Muara Tawar.

RINA has been appointed to provide project management and owner’s engineering services, in addition to the execution of the design review.

"RINA has also been appointed by PT PLN (Persero) for the design of the first marine CNG implementation in the world, to transport gas from Gresik, East Java to Lombok Island in Indonesia. The gas will be utilized to feed a small power plant in order to cope with peak hour electricity demand. The bidding phase for the EPC contract awards is now ongoing," Lo Nigro said.

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