Technology group Wärtsilä will supply the engineering and equipment for a 217 gross MW power plant in Kentucky, USA. The contract has been placed by East Kentucky Power Cooperative (EKPC), a not-for-profit electric utility that generates and transmits power to 16 owner-member electric cooperatives in the state. The plant is needed to provide additional grid capacity, thereby helping EKPC to meet increasing supply demand. The order was booked by Wärtsilä in Q3 2025.
The plant, which is planned to be constructed in Liberty, Kentucky, will operate with 12 Wärtsilä 50DF dual-fuel engines. The engines will operate primarily on natural gas fuel but are able to switch to alternative fuels should there be interruptions to the supply of natural gas.
The company equipment is scheduled for delivery in mid-2027, and the plant is expected to be commissioned in early 2028. It will operate for approximately 5000 hours per year, providing grid balancing power as needed.
“We are delighted to support EKPC’s energy initiative. Our experience and broad scope of capabilities have formed the basis of this project, which will be one of the largest Wärtsilä dual-fuel plants installed in the United States,” comments Risto Paldanius, Vice President, Americas at Wärtsilä Energy.
The company established its US operations in 1979 through its subsidiary Wärtsilä North America, Inc. It employs professionals in 8 regional locations across the US. This also includes LOCK-N-STITCH, Wärtsilä Energy Storage Inc., and Defense Maritime Solutions.
