Finland’s Wärtsilä Corp (www.wartsila.com) has won a contract to supply two 50MW power-generation plants to Centrica for use in the UK.

The plants, each based on five Wärtsilä 34SG engines running on natural gas, will be incorporated into facilities at Brigg in north-east Lincolnshire and Peterborough in Cambridgeshire. The plants are expected to enter operation in 2018.

Bent Iversen, business development manager at Wärtsilä Energy Solutions, said: “Centrica’s decision to go with our technology is a testament to the fact that our Smart Power Generation technology plays a key role in the UK power system. It shows that flexibility is needed — and rewarded — by the market.”

Including these plants, Wärtsilä now has over 250MW of power generation in the UK.

Meanwhile, the company has agreed to form a new joint venture with China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC).

Known as CSSC Wärtsilä Electrical & Automation Co Ltd (CWE&A), this is expected to be fully operational before the middle of this year.

It will supply China-based customers with Wärtsilä E&A systems and equipment for high-tech ships. Jaakko Eskola, CEO of Wärtsilä, said: “The CWE&A joint venture enables both Wärtsilä and CSSC to serve our customers better, here in the world’s largest ship-building market.

“Vessels are becoming more complex, with E&A solutions being increasingly important. As digitalisation enters the marine industry, CWE&A will be well positioned to meet the needs of its customers in this field.”