APR Energy's Australia power plant starts operations

In time to address the summer heat.

APR Energy announced that it has commissioned its mobile gas turbine power plant at Port Hedland, Pilbara, Western Australia.

According to a release from APR Energy , the plant features four state-of-the-art GE TM2500+ aero-derivative turbines running on clean-burning natural gas.

The facility can be rapidly expanded by an additional two turbines as capacity requirements grow.

APR Energy Managing Director Clive Turton said, "We are very pleased to have commissioned our plant, quickly and on schedule, in time to help Horizon Power meet the extra demand for power during the hot summer months.

Here's more from APR Energy:

Our mobile turbine power plants have proved to be an ideal fit for utilities looking for bridging solutions while permanent plants are being built, and are the technology of choice for customers needing large-scale, rapidly-deployed solutions that provide greater grid stability, low capital costs and low emissions."

Located in the hub of Australia's extractive industry, the plant provides power to state-owned utility Horizon Power, which serves more than 100,000 residents and more than 10,000 businesses and large industrial customers.

The plant, which commissioned in late 2014, will run through the second quarter of 2017 and serves as a bridging solution while TransAlta Energy ( Australia ) develops a permanent power plant, the completion of which is expected in early 2017.

The plant has been designed for the extreme conditions in Western Australia , where temperatures can reach 48 degrees Celsius (118 degrees Fahrenheit). The project adds to APR Energy's growing presence in Asia Pacific , bringing its generation capacity in the region to 410MW.