PPG, Entergy Start up Louisiana Cogeneration Plant

Half of the electrical output generated by the 425-megawatt natural gas-fired, combined-cycle power plant is used by PPG for producing chlorine and caustic soda at its Lake Charles complex. The balance produces electricity marketed to the wholesale power market by Entergy-Koch Trading, L.P.

Built at a cost of $242 million, the RS Cogen plant also provides up to 425,000 pounds/hour of process steam to PPG's Lake Charles complex, and up to 600,000 pounds/hour of process steam that is being sold to Lyondell Chemical Co. for its nearby facility.

"With RS Cogen providing power to our Lake Charles complex by 100 percent combined-cycle cogeneration, we will make the most efficient use of fuel available," said David B. Church, PPG vice president, chlor-alkali and derivatives. "This will enable us to reduce costs and strengthen the position of our Lake Charles facility as one of the most cost-effective chlorine plants in North America."

The RS Cogen plant, which is operated by PPG, uses two Siemens Westinghouse 501FD advanced-technology natural gas-fired turbines and an Alstom steam turbine to generate power. The technology used by RS Cogen is efficient, while also producing lower levels of environmental emissions than other fossil fuel power plant technologies.

The new cogeneration plant displaces older PPG on-site power generation facilities consisting of three boilers and two steam turbine generators. Church said the steam turbine generators will be placed on standby.

Entergy Corp., a major integrated energy company, owns, manages or invests in power plants generating more than 30,000 megawatts of electricity and serves about 2.6 million customers in portions of Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. Through Entergy-Koch, L.P., it is also a leading provider of wholesale energy marketing and trading services, as well as an operator of natural gas pipeline and storage facilities.

Pittsburgh-based PPG is a world leader in production of chlorine, caustic soda and related chemicals for use in chemical manufacturing, pulp and paper production, water treatment, plastics production and many other products. The company also produces specialty chemicals as well as coatings, glass and fiber glass for global markets. PPG had sales of $8.1 billion in 2002.