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About USP&E
HFO Power Plants is the USP&E answer to heavy-fuel baseload: engineered, commissioned and operated by one team.
About USP&E
Powering Possibility. Built for the Frontier.
HFO Power Plants is the USP&E page for heavy fuel oil stations. USP&E is a power generation company with its African head office in Johannesburg and further offices in the USA, UK and China, that designs, builds and operates power stations, including HFO plants for mines and utilities.
Certified to ISO 9001 and ISO 45001, our 400+ engineers and project managers have delivered projects in 35+ countries, and we hold more than 2000 MW of Wärtsilä, Cat and Bergen reciprocating inventory.
About USP&E
USP&E is a power generation company. It supplies new and surplus engines and turbines, designs plants, builds them under EPC and EPCM contracts, and operates them under long-term O&M agreements. The company is certified to ISO 9001 and ISO 45001 and works across the USA, Africa, the UK, the UAE and China. It began in the places where grids are weak, which is exactly where heavy fuel oil stations still carry the load.
What an HFO plant asks of its builder
HFO plants reward discipline. Fuel must be heated, separated and metered; exhaust must be managed; engines must be maintained on the clock. A plant that works on paper but ignores these details will cost more per MWh than planned.
Our published case studies include a 40 MW plant in Guinea and a 13.1 MW modular HFO project in Guatemala. The lessons feed every scope we write.
Commissioning with proof
Check systems before fuel and load.
Prove each engine against the plan.
Hand a documented plant to O&M.
HFO or diesel?
A short comparison to start the conversation
| Factor | HFO | Diesel |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Large baseload | Standby and smaller plants |
| Fuel handling | Heated and treated | Simple |
| Plant size | Utility and mining | Wide range |
Beyond HFO
- Transition: gas engines or modular turbines beside the existing hall.
- Used to new: refurbish surplus engines or buy new.
- Frame 6B: remanufactured GE units where gas is available.
Fuel, the quiet cost driver
Heavy fuel oil is cheap to buy and costly to mishandle. Tank heating, centrifuge settings, filter cycles and injector wear all trace back to how fuel is treated. We design fuel systems with the operator in mind and write commissioning proof that includes fuel quality, not just electrical output.
After handover, our O&M teams report on fuel consumption and availability together, so cost per megawatt-hour is a number you can inspect.
Used or new HFO engines
Some owners want a fast, lower-cost plant from refurbished engines. Others want new units with a full warranty. We explain both, with the evidence needed to compare them, and we can mix them in one station. Our pathway guide on this site sets out how a used engine plant can later move to new units or to gas.
Typical HFO plant roles
| Role | Where |
|---|---|
| Baseload | Mines and utilities |
| Peaking | Industrial parks |
| Bridge | Before gas arrives |
Linked resources
The HFO generator inventory lists engines for sale, the EPC and EPCM page explains project delivery, and the mining sector page describes the clients that rely on HFO baseload.
Where we operate
- Cape Town — 31 Brickfield Road, Woodstock
- China — No. 1, Ningzhou Road, Wuxi
- Colorado Springs — 1755 Telstar Dr, Suite 300
- Knoxville — 800 S Gay St, Suite 700
- London — 162-168 Regent Street
- Johannesburg — 22 Kildoon Rd, Bryanston
USA | AFRICA | UK | UAE | CHINA
Questions about USP&E and HFO Power Plants
What is an HFO power plant?
A plant using heavy fuel oil in medium-speed engines to generate baseload electricity.
Does USP&E build and operate them?
Yes, from design through EPC to O&M.
Can you refurbish used HFO engines?
Yes, using verified surplus equipment.
What replaces HFO later?
Natural gas engines or gas turbines, including FX-45 from 2028.
Who certifies your work?
We hold ISO 9001 and ISO 45001.
Related USP&E sites
For smaller diesel plants see Diesel Power Station. For bulk purchasing see Wholesale Diesel Generators. For African operations see Generator Service Africa. USP&E HFO inventory is at uspeglobal.com.