Technology group Wärtsilä has signed a ten-year optimised maintenance agreement with the Kentucky Municipal Energy Agency (KYMEA) in the United States. The agreement covers KYMEA’s new 75 MW power plant, Energy Centre I, scheduled for commissioning in 2027. The plant will be powered by four Wärtsilä 50SG engines and will play an important role in enabling increased levels of renewable energy from solar and wind to be integrated into the system. The agreement will deliver a reliable supply of electricity to KYMEA’s customers. This will be their first plant operating with reciprocating internal combustion engines. The order was booked by Wärtsilä in Q3 2025.
Credit: Wärtsilä
Wärtsilä’s optimised maintenance agreement will support Kentucky Municipal Energy Agency as its share of renewables increases
“This agreement gives KYMEA predictable maintenance costs and access to experienced technical support throughout the lifecycle of Energy Centre I. It’s a practical, long-term investment in the reliability and stability that our members expect,” says Doug Buresh, President & CEO, KYMEA.
The agreement includes maintenance planning, remote operational support from Wärtsilä Expertise Centres, asset diagnostics, and engine and auxiliary spare parts for scheduled maintenance. Wärtsilä will also be responsible for major overhauls and will provide onsite dedicated staff for the first three years of the agreement to support KYMEA in their day-to-day business and provide operator training on the technology.
“Our depth of expertise and years of experience are embedded in our optimised maintenance agreements. They represent a partnership that delivers peace of mind by ensuring that engine maintenance is expertly managed, while also enabling cost predictability for the customer. This solution supports KYMEA in their delivery of reliable energy to their customers, while enabling the renewable energy transition,” comments Kees de Grijs, General Manager, Business Development, Agreements, Region North at Wärtsilä Energy.
The Energy Centre I plant, located in Madisonville, Kentucky, is engineered for both continuous and peaking services. The Wärtsilä technology enables the units to adjust output to meet demand, effectively filling gaps in Kentucky’s renewable energy portfolio. When renewable energy is available, power generation can be scaled down. Conversely, in times of low renewable energy output, or at times when load outpaces the output from renewables, the units can provide a reliable electricity supply within minutes. The fast start-up feature of the Wärtsilä engines allows almost instant response to energy demand.
Wärtsilä established its US operations in 1979 through its subsidiary Wärtsilä North America, Inc. (WNA). Wärtsilä employs professionals in 8 locations across the US with its US headquarters in Houston, Texas. WNA’s Energy teams serve the commercial power market (utilities, independent power producers, industrial, and data centres) and have installed 6 GW of power in the US.