CAPSTONE ENERGY + EXPANDS PROVEN POWER SOLUTION AT WORLD’ S SOUTHERNMOST REFINERY
Capstone Energy + is expanding its microturbine installation at Chile’ s
Gregorio refinery after securing a follow-on order that will lift on-site generation capacity from 1.4MW to 2.2MW.
C apstone Energy + is expanding its microturbine installation at ENAP’ s Gregorio refinery in Chilean Patagonia from 1.4MW to 2.2MW.
The project, for Chilean state-owned energy company ENAP, will add a C800 Signature Series microturbine to the existing system at the refinery in the Magallanes region. Commissioning is expected in November 2026.
For Capstone, the repeat order provides more than an incremental capacity increase. It offers evidence that distributed generation can establish a role in industrial facilities where grid resilience, maintenance access and environmental conditions make conventional power solutions difficult to operate.
Gregorio is described as the world’ s southernmost refinery. Located in Patagonia, it processes more than 200,000 cubic metres of crude oil annually and supplies diesel, aviation kerosene and other refined fuels across southern Chile. Its output also supports maritime activity and Antarctic operations and expeditions.
That strategic role makes dependable electricity particularly important. Winter temperatures can fall below 0 ° F, while winds can exceed 75mph or 120km / h. At a remote industrial site exposed to such conditions, equipment failures can become significantly more complicated and costly than they would be at facilities close to major population centres.
Capstone’ s follow-on order was secured through ISPG, its authorised distributor in Chile. The expanded system will run on pipeline natural gas and provide critical power for refinery operations.
Reliability in Patagonia
The expansion follows the performance of the microturbines already operating at Gregorio. According to Capstone, ENAP had previously faced reliability and cost problems with conventional generators, particularly because
24
INTELLIGENT CIO LATAM www. intelligentcio. com