Bechtel, a project management and construction company, has been awarded the engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning for the Panda Temple II Generating Station, a 758-megawatt natural gas-fueled, combined-cycle power plant in Temple, Texas, south of Dallas.

This is the third power facility to be built by Bechtel and consortium partner Siemens for Panda Power Funds. Company officials estimate approximately 700 to 800 jobs will be created to construct the Temple II plant. Siemens will provide the power-island package, including the natural gas and steam turbines, and waste heat recovery boilers. Once completed at the end of 2015, the power generating station will be able to supply the power needs of approximately 750,000 homes in Central Texas.

The consortium is also designing and building the Panda Temple I Generating Station, which is adjacent to Panda Temple II, and the Panda Sherman Power Project in Sherman, Texas. All three projects are identical in size, and when completed, will be among the most efficient natural gas-fueled power plants in the U.S.

"We have been impressed with Bechtel's planning, execution, and professionalism," said Todd Carter, president and senior partner of Panda Power Funds. "For the past 12 months, we have seen continued progress and on-time performance at our Temple I and Sherman construction sites. The quality of their work, together with Siemens, has confirmed to date that we made the right decision in choosing this consortium to construct our state-of-the-art plants."

"This project, along with Panda Temple I and Panda Sherman, represents more than 2,200 megawatts of clean power. Together, the projects play an important part in advancing the combined cycle gas market in the U.S.," said Alasdair Cathcart, president of Bechtel's power business.

"Panda Power Funds continues to seek creative ways to bring critically-needed electricity to communities in Texas, and we look forward to working alongside them and Siemens to bring these significant projects to completion," said Jeff Brightman, president of Bechtel's thermal business line.