The Harry Allen Generating Station is a
natural gas fired combined cycle
A combined cycle power plant is an assembly of heat engines that work in tandem from the same source of heat, converting it into mechanical energy. On land, when used to make electricity the most common type is called a combined cycle gas turb ...
power plant located in
Clark County, Nevada
Clark County is the most populous County (United States), county in the U.S. state of Nevada with 2,265,461 residents as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. The county is the location of the state's three largest cities, Las Vegas (t ...
about north of Las Vegas. Electricity is generated by two GE Frame 7EA combustion turbines, two GE Frame 7FA+e combustion turbines, and a D11 steam turbine.
History
The initial facility consisting of a single 72mw GE Frame 7EA simple cycle gas turbine was completed in 1995. The station was originally planned to be operated mostly during hotter periods when demand would be the highest. A second similar unit was added in 2006
In 2011, a 484mw combined cycle facility was completed consisting of two GE Frame 7FA+E gas turbines with the exhaust heat from both units captured to produce steam for a GE D11 steam turbine to generate additional electricity
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Facility
Due to its location in a desert where water is limited, the combined cycle plant utilizes ''a six-story-high dry cooling system''. Operating similar to a massive automotive radiator
A radiator is a heat exchanger used to transfer thermal energy from one medium to another for the purpose of cooling and heating. The majority of radiators are constructed to function in cars, buildings, and electronics.
A radiator is always a ...
, thirty-six diameter fans are used to help cool and condense steam back in to water. The dry cooling system allows the combined cycle facility to operate with just 7% of the water normally used by conventional water cooled plants of similar rating. The facility also utilizes a waste water reclamation system that recaptures and recycles approximately 75 % of the water used in the power generating process [
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Notes
{{Energy resource facilities in Nevada
Energy infrastructure completed in 1995
Energy infrastructure completed in 2006
Energy infrastructure completed in 2011
Buildings and structures in Clark County, Nevada
Natural gas-fired power stations in Nevada
1995 establishments in Nevada