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BRAD GAGNE '91 MANAGES LARGEST SOLAR PLANT
Photo Courtesy of Cogentrix.
BradGagne'91,amarineengineering SolarProjectisownedbyCogentrixofAlamosa modularcelstothearrayinordertoachieve
graduate, is in charge of the world's largest
and produces 30 MW of energy with a modular
approximately 76,000MW per year in the near
concentrating photovoltaic (CPV) solar
array of solar cel s on a 225-acre site. Each cel
future.
plant in San Luis valley, Colorado. The Alamosa
produces 60 kW and the company plans to add
MMA Alumni Collaborate on ReEnergy Stratton and GE
Power Generation Services Project
By MICHAEL BRADFoRD '92
ReEnergyStratton,locatedinStratton, isnon-GE.Asexpected,theoutagewasachallenge, GETeam
Maine, is a base-loaded power plant that
with several significant repairs needed. The GE
Ken Buttery '00E ­ Sales Director
uses biomass as its primary fuel to produce
team led by Steve Brown '97 and ReEnergy team
Mike Bradford '92E ­ Sales Manager
approximately 355,000 net megawatt-hours of
of John Sawyer '84, Mark Thibodeau '99 and
Phil Pel etier '83E ­ Repairs Field Application
electricity each year. Power is sold local y as wel as
Scott Hersey '85 coordinated their work through
Engineer
distributed through New England ISo.
each of these hurdles and created solutions for al
Steve Brown '97E ­ Senior Field Engineer
The 48-megawatt facility, which opened in 1989,
of them. The GE Repairs were coordinated by Phil
Alex Pederson '13E ­ Field Engineer
was due this past spring for a complete turbine/
Pelletier `83, and conducted at the GE Bangor
Steve Williams '88E ­ Service Center Manager
generator major outage and some much-needed
facility by Steve Williams '88 and Rory Hersom
Rory Hersom '88E ­Diaphragm Repair Engineer
repairs. The complete scope of the repairs was
'88.
unknown, although it was expected to be consid-
The machine was returned to duty almost better
ReEnergy Team
erable since the machine was down significantly in
than new. ReEnergy Stratton set an all-time pro-
John Sawyer '84E ­ Sr. Regional Engineer
performance.
duction record for the month of August realizing
Mark Thibodeau '99E ­ Regional Manager
GE Power Generation Services was contacted
output never seen before since the original instal-
Scott Hersey'85E ­ Senior Reliability Engineer
and successful y bid the project. This was a signifi-
lation. Put MMA graduates together on a team
Erik Norgren '96E ­ Senior Electrical Engineer
cant feat on its own, because the turbine/generator
project, and companies get superior results.
Tyler Paine '15E ­ Junior Engineer
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