The gensets from Centrax Gas Turbines will provide 3.9 MW each for Italian utility Hera`s state-of-the-art cogeneration plant in Bologna, which replaces an existing thermal power plant that is coming to the end of its operational life.

The upgrade will bring the heat generated by the cogeneration process from 28.9 per cent to 51 per cent, Centrax said.

The gensets, attached to two heat recovery boilers from Italian manufacturer Ruths, will enable Hera to heat around 8000 apartments in Bologna`s Reno-Borgo Panigale district.

In addition, the new equipment will help to achieve an annual reduction of around 21,000 kg of NOx and 2500 tonnes of CO2.

The two genset packages, powered by Siemens 501-k engines, were manufactured at Centrax`s headquarters in the UK and shipped to Bologna this autumn.

Service and maintenance will be carried out by Centrax`s Italian support centre in Tuscany.

Toby Boys, Centrax`s European sales manager, said the gensets [are well suited to this project, providing Hera with a compact yet powerful solution that enables excellent flexibility as and when heat and power are needed.

[Thanks to the state-of-the art technology, Hera is able to control the facilities from a remote centre allowing for minimal personnel requirements at site," he added.