Midwest Energy Completes Goodman Energy Center Expansion | News

Midwest Energy Completes Goodman Energy Center Expansion

April 06, 2016

Midwest Energy completed the expansion of its Goodman Energy Center north of Hays April 1, on schedule and under its original $30 million estimate, though final costs are pending.  

“This expansion will provide a reliable and economical source of energy for our member-owners for many decades,” said Earnie Lehman, president and general manager for Midwest Energy.

Aerial view of the Goodman Energy Center, a 102 megawatt natural gas-fueled electric generation plant located in Hays, Kan.
The Goodman Energy Center in Hays, Kan., recently completed a $30 million expansion to add 26 megawatts of capacity from three Wärtsilä natural-gas fueled generators. The expansion required three taller exhaust stacks, due to more stringent EPA emission dispersal rules since the original plant’s construction in 2008.

When the Goodman facility was built in 2008, it was constructed to allow for future expansion should the need arise.  “Participation in the Southwest Power Pool regional energy market, and the increasing amount of wind generation in the area, provide operational challenges that can be better managed with this flexible resource,” Lehman added.

The expansion added three new natural gas-fueled generators, bringing the Center’s total to twelve units.  Each generator can operate independently or as part of a group, and can be started in a matter of minutes to ensure a constant supply of power to the grid.  The twelve engines combined produce 102 megawatts, enough to serve almost a third of Midwest Energy customers’ peak electric use.

Burns and McDonnell of Kansas City, Mo., provided engineering and general contractor services for the project, while Casey Industrial of Westminster, Colo. was the primary construction sub-contractor.  The generators were manufactured in Europe by Finnish engine maker Wärtsilä.