Santa Cruz Thermoelectric Plant Upgrades to Combined Cycle, Boosting Capacity to 500 MW

The Santa Cruz Thermoelectric Plant in Brazil has completed a combined-cycle upgrade that increased its generating capacity from 350 MW to 500 MW. The facility, originally converted to natural gas in the 1980s, underwent significant modernization by decommissioning two 48-meter tall, 3,000-ton boilers.

To enhance safety during this process, a custom metal truss was constructed around the boilers, minimizing crane picks and eliminating the need for workers inside the boilers. This method not only expedited the project timeline but also improved on-site safety. Contractor Odebrecht noted that this innovative decommissioning approach can be applied to other power plant upgrades to enhance safety and reduce costs.