You need engineers who design plants they will also build and run, so the drawings work in the field and not just on paper.
Design From People Who Build
We design power plants knowing our own teams will construct and operate them. USP&E engineering covers feasibility through detailed design for gas turbine and engine stations. USP&E is a full-service EPC and O&M contractor, not a broker.
Feasibility and Concept Design
The first step is understanding your load, growth plans, fuel options, site conditions and grid situation. From there, USP&E develops concept options comparing equipment types, plant configurations and phasing, with clear trade-offs in schedule, footprint and operating approach.
Concept design is where decisions such as frame versus aeroderivative turbines, gas turbines versus natural gas engines, or the inclusion of solar and storage are made. Getting these choices right avoids costly redesign later.
Detailed Engineering
Detailed engineering turns the concept into buildable documents: general arrangements, civil and structural design, mechanical systems, electrical single-lines, protection settings, control philosophy and fuel system design. Each discipline is coordinated so interfaces are resolved on paper rather than at site.
Ambient conditions such as heat, altitude, dust and humidity shape equipment selection and filtration design. USP&E’s experience in frontier markets helps ensure designs reflect the real environment rather than a catalogue rating.
Design for the Sectors We Serve
Mines need robust plants that run continuously far from support. Data centres need redundancy and fast response. Oil and gas sites need fuel flexibility and hazardous-area compliance. Equipment rental companies and commercial users need flexible, transportable designs. Our design approach adapts to each.
Developers designing compute campuses can also review gas turbines for data center primary power, and equipment options are compared on new gas turbine generators and packages.
USP&E Engineering Offices
Colorado Springs (1755 Telstar Dr, Suite 300) and Knoxville (800 S Gay St, Suite 700) lead US work on power plant design, from site walk-downs to commissioning sign-off. Ask for a concept design workshop with the engineering team in Colorado Springs or Johannesburg to test your options early. London (162-168 Regent Street) supports structuring and finance conversations, Johannesburg (22 Kildoon Rd, Bryanston) and Cape Town (31 Brickfield Road, Woodstock) carry African delivery, and Wuxi (No. 1, Ningzhou Road, Wuxi) covers China supply chain and manufacturing. Regions served: USA | AFRICA | UK | UAE | CHINA. USP&E has delivered 150+ power projects in 45+ countries, with 25,000 MW contracted since 2002, and is ISO 9001 and ISO 45001 certified.
Design and Engineering Track Record
You want designs proven in operation. These projects began on USP&E drawing boards or in USP&E workshops.
- Kinross Gold, Mauritania: USP&E engineered and executed Caterpillar power station backup for a large-scale mining operation. Read the case study.
- USP&E has refurbished seven GE Frame 6B gas turbines to zero hours in-house for major US hyperscale data-centre developers.
- Resolute Mining, Syama, Mali: USP&E installed and operated a 30 MW Caterpillar power station from 2007 to 2010. Read the case study.
Your Plan
Your 3-step plan: 1. Share load, site and fuel information. 2. Review concept options with our engineers. 3. Move into detailed design and EPC with the same team.
- Gather load data, growth plans and site surveys.
- Compare concept options and phasing.
- Select equipment and plant configuration.
- Complete detailed multi-discipline engineering.
- Carry the design into procurement and construction.
Resources
EPC · O&M · About USP&E · Case studies · Contact · Inventory · Gas turbine inventory.
FAQ: Power plant design
What does USP&E power plant design include?
USP&E power plant design includes feasibility, concept options, equipment selection and detailed multi-discipline engineering covering civil, mechanical, electrical, protection, controls and fuel systems. The design is prepared to be built and operated by USP&E’s own teams, so it is tested against field reality.
Why does design matter so much?
USP&E sees most of a plant’s cost, schedule and reliability fixed during design. Good design avoids undersized systems, poor layouts and protection gaps that cause expensive changes during construction or recurring problems once the plant is in operation.
Which sectors does USP&E design plants for?
USP&E designs plants for mining, data centres, oil and gas, utilities, independent power producers, equipment rental companies and commercial users. Each sector’s priorities, from continuous duty to redundancy and fuel flexibility, shape the design approach and equipment choices.
Can USP&E design hybrid plants?
Yes. USP&E designs hybrid plants combining gas turbines or engines with solar and storage where that suits the load and site. The concept phase compares hybrid and thermal-only options so you can choose with clear trade-offs in cost, schedule and reliability.
Is USP&E a broker or an engineering company?
USP&E is a full-service EPC and O&M contractor, not a broker. Our 400+ engineers and project managers design, build and operate power plants, and the same company carries the design through construction and into operations.
Which USP&E offices provide design services?
USP&E provides design services from Colorado Springs and Knoxville in the USA, Johannesburg and Cape Town in South Africa, London for project structuring and Wuxi for manufacturing and supply chain input. The lead office is chosen by project location.
How does USP&E start a design project?
USP&E starts with a review of your load, site, fuel and grid information. An engineer then proposes the studies needed, which may include site surveys, load analysis and concept comparisons, before detailed design begins and drawings are issued.
Has USP&E designed plants in harsh conditions?
Yes. USP&E has engineered and executed Caterpillar power station backup for Kinross Gold in Mauritania and installed and operated a 30 MW Caterpillar station for Resolute Mining in Mali, where heat, dust and remote logistics shaped the engineering.
Take the Next Step With USP&E
Success looks like power plant design that is scoped, delivered and running on your date. Failure looks like months lost to a seller who disappears after the invoice. Talk to USP&E at our contact page, call +27 10 822 2324 or email info@uspeglobal.com, and browse live stock on the USP&E inventory.
Powering Possibility. Built for the Frontier.