The Panda Power Funds Sherman combined-cycle power plant in Texas has started testing leading up to commercial operation, according to a recent blog post by Genscape.
Genscape said that its infrared camera detected plumes of smoke from the smokestacks from the plant earlier this month, which indicated that testing has started at the plant.
The plant, which is the sister plant to the Panda Temple facility in Bell County, is expected to come online this summer. Genscape has called Panda Sherman and Temple two of the more meaningful and significant generation developments in the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) during 2014.
Dallas-based Panda started construction of the roughly 700-MW combined-cycle facility in Grayson County, Texas, started in November 2012. The plant is being built by a turn-key consortium that includes Bechtel and Siemens.
“With summer having already begun, and seasonal peak loads looming, both plants will help smooth out days with strong cooling load potential due to elevated temperatures and humidity levels,” said Genscape ERCOT Analyst John Typadis and Director of Data Laura Howlett.
Panda Power Funds was formed in 2010 by the former senior management team and energy professionals of Panda Energy International, an independent power development company that was founded in 1982. Panda Energy financed, developed, built and operated 9,000 MW of generating capacity, at an approximate cost of $6bn.
