| Gas turbine developments
Alpiq’s San Severo upgraded
A power increase of 43 MW and an efficiency improvement of 0.9% were among the expected results of an upgrade recently completed by Ansaldo Energia at Alpiq’s San Severo combined cycle power plant, Foggia, Italy (pictured below). Tests during operation demonstrated even better performance than initially anticipated.
The plant initially entered operation in After the upgrade the installed capacity was 430 MWe.
The project, completed within the agreed timeframe, involved the steam turbine and generator, as well as the gas turbine. Operational flexibility was also increased and the plant is now capable of operating with up to 25% hydrogen.
technically capable of using hydrogen and can be decarbonised in line with climate targets by 2045 at the latest, using any technology.” That means they could in theory be fitted with carbon capture technology as well. However, it remains to be seen whether it makes economic sense to equip a plant with both technologies. In addition to the first ten gigawatts of electricity capacity, the coalition agreed to: Hold auctions for at least 2 GW of additional hydrogen-ready gas power plants in 2026 or 2027, which would be in operation by 2032 and would be required to switch to run on hydrogen “early”. These are meant to advance the phase-out of fossil fuels, and would receive temporary state support to cover operating costs arising from the switch to hydrogen.
Set up auctions at short notice in 2029 for an unspecified capacity volume if needed to secure electricity supply. These would be open to all technologies, and would include existing capacity, and extend to power plants in neighbouring countries.
Go through with plans to set up a capacity market by 2027 to ensure supply security from 2032, beyond the earlier auctions. Economy minister Katherina Reiche said the auctions will form the basis for a secure electricity supply and competitive German industry. “This is an important first step towards the introduction of a comprehensive, technology-neutral capacity market, which will encourage the construction of additional power plants and other flexible capacity,” she added.
Energy sector legal experts have said that due to the lengthy process, first auctions are unlikely to start before late 2026.
Energy industry association BDEW said the coalition agreement is “a positive sign of greater security of supply.” The group welcomed the decision to provide state support for the operating costs of the switch to hydrogen for some of the plants. “Especially in the early stages of hydrogen ramp-up, instruments such as CfDs [contracts for difference] are needed to close the existing gap between production costs and willingness to pay and to actually trigger investments,” said BDEW head Kerstin Andreae. NGO Environmental Action Germany (DUH) criticised the focus on gas-fired power plants, which means that “battery storage has no chance.” RWE has declared itself ready to build new hydrogen-compatible gas-fired power stations. “We have already made significant progress with the planning approval process at several power station sites and have reserved capacity for key components with suppliers,” said Michael Müller, RWE CFO, presenting interim results for the first nine months of 2025. “Weisweiler, Voerde and Werne are examples of sites where we could quickly start construction. We envisage a total of 3 GW of new flexible [RWE] power plant capacity in Germany – provided that the economic criteria allow it. We are in the starting blocks.”
*Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Licence (CC BY 4.0). Edited version of an article
cleanenergywire.org
www.modernpowersystems.com | November/December 2025 | 33
“This project represents a fundamental step in ensuring the security and flexibility of Italy’s power system,” according to Massimiliano Bignami, country manager, Italy, at Alpiq. “The upgrade strengthens the strategic role of the San Severo plant, already qualified in the capacity market, contributing to grid stability and the integration of renewable sources.”
Photos: Ansaldo Energia
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