Wärtsilä will deliver generating sets for a new 123 MW power plant in Odessa, Texas. The facility will be the largest Wärtsilä 31 installation in the world. The company will operate and maintain the plant under a 10-year agreement. The plant will supply power to the Electric Reliability Council of Texas grid. Wärtsilä booked the order in Q1 2026.
Strategic Partnership Drives Development
EPC contractor Saulsbury Industries placed the order on behalf of EMPower USA. EMPower is an Independent Power Producer. Wärtsilä worked closely with EMPower throughout development. The company supported early-stage planning, U.S. market entry, and execution structuring. Support continued through long-term operations under a Development Services Agreement.
The order represents the culmination of a successful development project.
Daniel Gutierrez, CEO of EMPower, praised the partnership. “Wärtsilä has proved to be a reliable partner, with highly efficient and flexible energy solutions,” he stated. The project will deliver electricity to approximately 30,750 homes in the area.
Dual Expertise Enhances Project Value
The operation and maintenance agreement strengthens Wärtsilä’s role as a long-term operational partner. The company supports customers beyond technology delivery.
The U.S. power market values availability, flexibility, and performance during high demand periods. Wärtsilä provides dual expertise. This optimizes plant performance. It enhances project bankability for independent power producers.
The EMPower project represents an important milestone. Wärtsilä is expanding within the American independent power producer market.
Fast-Starting, Efficient Technology
The plant will operate with ten Wärtsilä 31SG engines. Delivery is scheduled for early 2027. The plant will become operational one year later.
Sanna Silander, Energy Business Director at Wärtsilä Energy, highlighted the technology advantages. The Wärtsilä 31SG is the most powerful of all Wärtsilä’s medium-bore engines. It features low fuel consumption. It produces correspondingly low CO2 emissions.
The engine reaches full output in 2.5 minutes. This makes it ideal for systems integrating renewables. The operation and maintenance agreement ensures optimal support. It maximizes engine performance and efficiency.
The project builds on existing partnerships. Wärtsilä has worked with EMPower in other countries.
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