Some companies contend that the IGCC technology is not yet ready for commercial service on a utility scale. Why is Tampa Electric investing in such a technology?
Tampa electric is the world leader in utilizing IGCC technology for power generation. Polk Unit 1 is a 255-megawatt IGCC unit that has been successfully operating in utility service for more than 10 years, generating more than 13,000 gigawatt hours of power during that period. Based on the success with Polk Unit 1, Tampa Electric is comfortable with IGCC technology. After the initial Department of Energy demonstration period for the first three years of operation, Tampa Electric has improved the availability and reliability of Polk Unit 1 to the point that it is as reliable as a typical conventional coal unit, with availability of approximately 80% when operating on a coal and petroleum coke blend. In addition, IGCC units have the built in capability to produce power by using a backup fuel for the combined cycle power block. Polk Unit 1 uses distillate (diesel) oil as a backup fuel. Therefore, overall power production availability for Polk Unit 1 has been above 90%, which is superior t
