Modular power for 175 MW power plant

• Taiwan Power Company (TPC) ordered six of GE’s advanced LM2500XPRESS power packages for its Tung Hsiao Power Plant Renewal Project. (Image: GE)

General Electric will supply six LM2500XPRESS gas turbine packages for a new 175 MW power plant in Taiwan.

The order is for Taiwan Power Co.’s (TPC) Tung Hsiao Power Plant Renewal Project gas plant, which is expected to be built by GE in less than 10 months from the order, with a targeted official dispatch date expected before Dec. 31. GE’s LM2500XPRESS power plant is 95% factory assembled into simplified modules and provides a “plug and play” concept that is ideal to bring fast power to the grid, when needed, the company said. The compact LM2500XPRESS units for this project will be assembled at GE Gas Power’s Manufacturing Excellence Center in Veresegyhaz, Hungary.

The six units will support the flexibility needed as renewables penetration continues to grow in Taiwan, in alignment with Taiwan’s target of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.

Taiwan is currently targeting a 25% share of renewables in its power mix in 2025, compared with 5.4% last year. Gas power generation plays a critical role in facilitating Taiwan’s transition to a lower carbon future and supporting the reliable, affordable growth of sustainable energy.

Each of GE’s LM2500XPRESS power package comprises of a GE LM2500 aeroderivative gas turbine modular package, and emissions control system. With the capability to start in 5 minutes or even less from cold iron, these units derived from the aviation industry can perform daily starts and stops without impacting its maintenance cycles or costs and will help TPC better integrate and compensate renewable energy sources, the company said.

“Taiwan’s rapidly changing energy mix from reduced coal and nuclear to an increase in renewables is creating opportunities for Taiwan to diversify into fast, flexible, more efficient gas technologies that will help balance the electricity grid and meet future demand. GE’s LM2500XPRESS will enable TPC to support the increased use of renewable solar and wind power,” said Ramesh Singaram, president & CEO GE Gas Power Asia Pacific. “With units that are responsive and able to fill gaps to help ensure the reliability of the energy system, we will be able to support TPC making an important contribution towards the security of power supply in Taiwan.”

GE’s LM2500XPRESS is built on GE’s LM2500 aeroderivative gas turbine technology. With more than 2500 units sold and more than 100 million operating hours, GE’s LM2500 is available in both simple and combined cycle configuration, for 50 and 60 Hz utility providers. In simple cycle configuration, it delivers up to 34 MW and achieves up to 39.5% of efficiency. In a combined cycle configuration, it delivers up to 47 MW with up to 54.4% of efficiency. LM2500 units have averaged reliability of more than 99% and availability higher than 98% over a 20-year period.