Billings Generation Project

This project is a 49.5 MWe fluidized bed boiler/steam turbine plant. The boiler fires fluid petroleum coke (from the adjacent Exxon refinery) as fuel. The project includes two 300,000 lb/hr fluidized bed boilers, a single condensing steam turbine generator with three uncontrolled extractions, and an air-cooled condenser.

Harris Group assisted the client in obtaining a firm price Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contract. This included site zoning application, air permit application, and steam/water cycle thermodynamic optimization.

Harris Group was then subcontracted by the EPC Contractor to provide the civil, structural, architectural, mechanical, piping, electrical, and control system engineering and design for all systems not procured with engineering/design.
Field construction support was provided for all design disciplines. Performance test procedures were generated and tests were witnessed.

The facility was designed for a generator output of 54 MW. A 1,500 ft. length overland pipe rack with a 50 ft. high bridge over Montana Rail Link’s track carries steam, water, coke, and coker gas to and from the refinery. Coke is pneumatically transported 1,500 ft. from the refinery to the power plant through two graduated carbon steel pipes.

The plant is located in Billings, Montana on 4.7 acres and consists of attached boiler, turbine, and service buildings. On?site limestone crushing and storage silos, coke storage silos, and an ash storage silo are adjacent to the buildings. Also on the site are a switchyard, administration building and several miscellaneous buildings. In 1999, the plant achieved a 95+% capacity factor based on a 54 MW net capability.