pwr_october-2024 - 29

TOP PLANT
POWER POINTS
Winning Attributes
✔ The Tung Hsiao project enhances
grid stability, and the supply and
reliability of electricity in Taiwan.
2. The GE Vernova LM2500XPRESS aeroderivative turbine, part of the company's line of
LM2500 turbines, is designed for high efficiency. It helps reduce operating costs and plant
emissions. The turbine has dual-fuel capability, and has the company's latest dual-fuel dry low
emissions technology. Courtesy: GE Vernova
neering, procurement, and construction]
turnkey project were extraordinary. GE
Vernova not only provided its advanced
aeroderivative gas turbine solutions, but
the various supporting and auxiliary components
of a power plant system required
to produce energy. Additionally, we completed
this project with full adherence to
Taiwan Power Corp. requirements while
strengthening and maintaining the high
safety standard. "
The plant's importance to Taiwan's
energy transition is among the reasons
it's been chosen to receive a POWER
Top Plant award for
generation.
gas-fired power
10-Month Construction Timeline
Construction of the Tung Hsiao project
was completed within 10 months (Figure
1). It's notable that GE Vernova-active
in Taiwan since 1961-has more than 30
gas turbines installed on the island, providing
about 6 GW of power generation
capacity. The company has said it supports
" Taiwan's 5+2 Industrial Innovation
Plan, which focuses on seven industries
and projects that can promote innovation,
create high-income job opportunities,
and support balanced development
in high-value business sectors. "
A key component of the project is that
the company's aeroderivative gas turbine
solutions can run on blends of hydrogen,
supporting " a future path towards a 100%
hydrogen combustion over this decade to
further support Taiwan Power Co.'s decarbonization
initiatives, " said GE Vernova.
Company officials added, " As the gas turbine
original equipment manufacturer, GE
Vernova is best-positioned to support and
increase the blending of hydrogen and
natural gas now and in the future. "
The new units at Tung Hsiao can go
from startup to full load in as few as eight
October 2024 | POWER
minutes. They already are capable of
burning a fuel blend containing as much
as 35% hydrogen, with the expectation
that will increase to 100% capability over
this decade.
The units also are capable of helping
reduce emissions and providing reliable
power as they replace generation from older
coal-fired plants. They can support grid
firming services, helping manage energy
shortages and stabilizing the power grid.
Nam Tran, senior product manager
for GE Vernova Gas Power, has said the
LM2500XPRESS turbine (Figure 2) can
be installed at a site in under two weeks,
after all the necessary equipment is onsite.
The units are rated to provide net
output of 30 or more MW using natural
gas as fuel.
Taiwan Company Supports
Construction
Among the companies working on the
Tung Hsiao project was Taiwan-based
AIDC, considered among the earliest Taiwanese
companies involved in system
integration and control of gas turbine generator
sets, as well as whole plant planning
and engineering. AIDC is known for
providing turnkey services of biogas power
plant and energy plant development to
help meet the requirements of both domestic
and foreign customers.
Prismecs, a Houston, Texas-based
company that provides equipment and
engineering services, is providing the
scope of operations and maintenance
for at least the first two years of the
plant's grid connection, according to
the company.
GE Vernova officials said their equipment
was chosen for the project because
of the need for a short turnaround
between awarding of the project and its
connection to the grid. An official told
www.powermag.com
✔ The new plant balances the
intermittency of renewable power
resources, including solar and wind
power, and will be important as
Taiwan continues to receive more
generation from offshore wind
installations.
✔ The plant provides a fast power
source for the grid, with just eight
minutes from start to supplying
baseload power. GE Vernova's
LM2500XPRESS aeroderivative
turbines also have the capability
of burning hydrogen, and could
operate on 100% hydrogen by the
end of the decade.
POWER, " We [could] provide a fast delivery
solution that meets TPC's cycle
time requirement, i.e., power to grid by
December 2022 " after the February start
of construction.
Officials said the engineering and build
of Tung Hsiao was challenging due to limited
space at the site. There also was a
need to adhere to stringent emissions
standards and create a power station
that would use little or no water- " high
power density, and NOx emission of 5
ppm with no water consumed, " according
to GE Vernova.
The latest Tung Hsiao project is not
the first at the site. An earlier project at
Tung Hsiao involved the installation of
three 892-MW combined cycle units at
the plant, which were commissioned
in 2018, 2019, and 2020. Those units
replaced three decommissioned dieselfired
units at the site, marking a milestone
in Taiwan's energy transition.
GE Vernova said the renewal project
supports Taiwan's offshore wind industry,
because it can " support the issue of
intermittent supply from offshore wind,
i.e., when [the] wind stops blowing, and
it quickly ramps up to bridge the gap in a
sudden drop of wind speed. The project
exemplifies strong collaboration with local
companies, aligning with government
procurement policies and boosting local
economic development. " ■
-Darrell Proctor is a senior
editor for POWER.
29

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