Edison, new 770 MW gas power plant in Campania: 450 million investment

Edison inaugurates a new latest-generation 770 MW gas-fired thermoelectric power plant in Presenzano (Caserta), with an investment of 450 million euro. The announcement comes after last year's revamping of the twin power station in Marghera (Venice) with a capacity of 780 MW. The combined-cycle plant in Campania took almost four years to complete, with the involvement of over 1,200 employees and 130 supply companies. With the declared installed power, it is able to meet the equivalent annual energy needs of more than 1,500,000 households.

The power plant uses a GT36 class H high-efficiency natural gas turbine (the same as the one in Marghera), developed by Ansaldo Energia, which achieves an energy efficiency of around 63%, one of the highest in Europe and the highest in Italy, ensuring a reduction in specific carbon dioxide emissions of up to 30% compared to the average of the current Italian thermoelectric park. In addition, the plant guarantees nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions that are more than 60% lower than existing plants of a similar size, as well as a limited use of water resources thanks to the adoption of air cooling systems. The plant is named after Flavio Crescentini, an Edison manager who died prematurely and who played a crucial role as the person responsible for the start-up and commissioning of the previous combined cycle plants developed by Edison from 1992 onwards.

"From record to record we confirm our role as a pioneer in Italy of technologically advanced plants and as a responsible operator, who with a long-term vision plans and invests for the future of the country. In the last two years we have commissioned 1.500 MW of new programmable power, the most advanced in the world, the first of its kind in Italy, and at the same time we have invested heavily in renewable energies, putting into operation new 100 MW in Sicily and 50 MW in Piedmont. In addition, to date we have about 260 MW of new renewable sites already open throughout the country," commented Marco Stangalino, EVP Power Asset at Edison: "Thanks to the two new plants in Presenzano and Marghera, Edison guarantees the country a highly strategic production capacity for the stability of the national system, enabling the development of low carbon energies and contributing to the Italian and European decarbonisation objectives".

Edison owns and operates more than 340 MW of wind farms in Campania, representing about 10% of its installed renewable capacity. It is also completing the construction of new photovoltaic power, amounting to 28 MW, which will come into operation in 2025. The company has 7.2 GW of installed power distributed throughout the country, which covers 7% of national electricity production, with 132 hydroelectric power plants, 53 wind farms, 57 photovoltaic plants and 10 gas-fired combined cycle plants.

On an area of over 3 hectares, close to the Presenzano plant, approximately 140 trees and 1,000 shrubs were planted, and the very choice of colour of the power station's surfaces was dictated by an analysis aimed at favouring assonance with the elements of the surrounding landscape. During the excavation work for the construction of the power station and the routes of the methane pipeline and the power line, several archaeological finds were discovered dating back to both the Bronze Age and the period between the 6th and 5th centuries BC. The collection, cataloguing and restoration were carried out by the Soprintendenza Archeologia Belle Arti e Paesaggio for the provinces of Caserta and Benevento. Some of these finds are preserved inside the same station in a space dedicated to them..