In 2019, Jessup, Pennsylvania, became home to Invenergy's largest operating energy plant: the Lackawanna Energy Center. Beyond its triumphant 1.5-gigawatt scale, Lackawanna holds a special place in Invenergy's history as a masterclass in modern energy efficiency, innovation, and community impact.
Planning began as early as 2012, as older power plants across PJM retired and created opportunities for new natural gas generation. The initial concept was to develop a 1,370-megawatt facility into the side of a mountain near Scranton, Pennsylvania, using existing Invenergy equipment in storage.
But in 2014, when interconnection studies revealed the site could support closer to 1,480 megawatts, Invenergy adopted General Electric's new-to-market 7HA.02 high-efficiency, air-cooled combustion turbines. This industry-leading technology would make Lackawanna an "H" class power plant: one of the most advanced, highly efficient natural gas generation facilities.
Collaboration with GE was seamless, but construction brought challenges. Building atop a former coal mine on the side of a mountain required extensive rock excavation and mine-void mitigation before work could begin. The first-of-its-kind design also required phased commissioning, with one unit entering operation while the remaining units were still being completed. The entire process required careful planning and commissioning by a highly skilled, experienced construction team.
"Invenergy's culture of innovation was instrumental in the success of a facility with the latest technology," attests Jason Carey, VP of Operations. Lackawanna became the first GE single-shaft H-class plant to reach commercial operations in the U.S. and remains the leader of GE's single-shaft fleet today. The project earned Power Magazine's Top Plant Award in 2019, while Engineering News-Record recognized EPC partner Kiewit with Best Energy/Industrial and Excellence in Safety.
Beyond the plant itself, Lackawanna has funded an annual scholarship through Lackawanna College for the last decade, contributes $1 million each year to Jessup through a community host agreement, and supports local emergency services, educational programs, environmental organizations, and veterans' groups.
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