Keppel, Ulysseas aim to develop power barge projects in Guayaquil

Singapore's Keppel Energy has submitted a preliminary environmental impact study (EIS) to Ecuadorian authorities for a project to install a 150MW power barge off the coast of Guayaquil, local paper El Universo reported. The barge and its associated substation would use a mixture of residue and diesel from the Esmeraldas refinery operated by state oil company Petroecuador. Ecuador's power regulator Conelec, Guayaquil municipality, the environment ministry and the country's merchant marine entity Digmer are presently evaluating the proposal, the paper said. If all the necessary approvals are granted, Keppel plans to begin developing the project in May so that operations could start by year-end. Brazilian company Ulysseas Incorporated, a subsidiary of Houston-based Proteus Power, is also interested in developing a similar but smaller-scale project, the paper reported. Ulysseas' Power Barge II project would contribute 50MW to Ecuador's wholesale market. The company's Power Barge I, which is also in Ecuador, is presently in operation.