Plant extension order boosts Wärtsilä’s share of Aruba’s
Technology group Wärtsilä will supply an engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) extension project to an existing power plant on the Caribbean Island of Aruba. This will add an additional 36 MW of generating capacity, thereby mitigating possible supply shortages due to rapidly increasing demand. Currently Wärtsilä provides 194 MW of generating capacity to Aruba with 4 Engine House power installations. When completed, Wärtsilä’s share of the island’s power generation capacity will be 230 MW, representing 85 percent of the 268 MW total.
The order has been placed by WEB Aruba N.V, the island’s sole water and energy production company. It was booked by Wärtsilä in Q4 2024. The scope includes installation of two Wärtsilä 50DF dual-fuel engines and auxiliaries. Furthermore, based on past experiences, additional features have been designed to optimise overall plant reliability, and to limit existing engine downtime during construction of the extension.
“This is an important and challenging project that is urgently needed to meet the increasing demand for electricity due to the considerable increase of temperature, growth in tourism, resort construction, and residential housing. Wärtsilä’s track record in delivering efficient and reliable power generation is outstanding, and we are delighted to again have them as a partner for this latest project,” says Alfredo A. Koolman, CEO at WEB Aruba.
The Wärtsilä engines are scheduled to be delivered in the third quarter of 2025, and the project is expected to be commissioned and fully operational by mid-2026. In carrying out the expansion of the existing plant, existing radiator fields and auxiliaries will need to be relocated as there is limited space in which to install the two additional engines.
“This is our fifth EPC project on Aruba, and we are excited to continue our collaboration of already more than 28 years with WEB Aruba,” comments Jon Rodriguez, Energy Business Director, at Wärtsilä Energy. “There is no better endorsement of customer satisfaction than repeat orders, and this latest contract highlights our ability to execute challenging projects. Furthermore, by opting for Wärtsilä engines, WEB Aruba is making it possible to integrate increased volumes of energy from wind and solar, since the fast-starting capability of the engines provide efficient grid balancing to compensate for supply fluctuations from the renewables.”
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Wärtsilä Energy in brief
Wärtsilä Energy is at the forefront of the transition towards a 100% renewable energy future. We help our customers and the power sector to accelerate their decarbonisation journeys through our market-leading technologies and power system expertise. Our solutions include flexible engine power plants, energy storage and optimisation technology, and services for the whole lifecycle of our installations. Our engines are future-proof and can run on sustainable fuels. Our track record comprises 79 GW of power plant capacity and over 130 energy storage systems in 180 countries around the world. Over 30% of our operating installed base is under service agreements.
Wärtsilä in brief
Wärtsilä is a global leader in innovative technologies and lifecycle solutions for the marine and energy markets. We emphasise innovation in sustainable technology and services to help our customers continuously improve environmental and economic performance. Our dedicated and passionate team of 18,300 professionals in more than 230 locations in 77 countries shape the decarbonisation transformation of our industries across the globe. In 2024, Wärtsilä’s net sales totalled EUR 6.4 billion. Wärtsilä is listed on Nasdaq Helsinki.
