Innovative Gas-Fired Power Station Supports Taiwan’s Need for More Energy

A GE Vernova-led project, completed in just 10 months, is helping Taiwan’s efforts for a more reliable power supply, along with supporting the integration of renewable energy resources in the country.

Taiwan has long relied on fossil fuels to produce the island’s electricity. The country has limited domestic energy resources, and thus has had to import coal and petroleum products to support its power generation.

Officials over the past decade have realized the need to move Taiwan toward cleaner energy, including transitioning from primarily coal-fired generation (about 43% of the energy mix in 2023, according to Taiwanese government data) to more gas-fired power output (about 40% last year), and increasing the use of renewable energy resources. The government announced policy guidelines for energy development in 2012, and has amended its targets over the past several years in response to environmental and other considerations.

Taiwan’s Renewable Energy Development Act, or REDA, aims to increase the percentage of gas-fired power in the country to 50% by next year. GE Vernova officials said the company “is laser-focused to support the country’s transition,” including a plan to supply Taiwan Power Co. (TPC or Taipower) with more than 10 GW of gas-fired power generation by 2026, including from the company’s 7HA series of gas turbines. The units are expected to gradually replace coal-fired power plants, and support increased demand for power, including from the semi-conductor industry.

The Tung Hsiao Power Plant Renewal Project, located in Miaoli County, is among the innovative gas-fired power plants in Taiwan that is using equipment from GE Vernova. Tung Hsiao is a first-of-its-kind aeroderivative gas turbine technology installation in that country. The six LM2500XPRESS aeroderivative, highly modular units can deliver up to 180 MW of electricity.

Construction of the project began in February 2022. The plant was connected to the grid on December 30 of that year, and began grid-connected trials in 2023.

The plant is engineered to provide additional flexibility to Taiwan’s power generation fleet, supporting the country’s coal-to-gas transition along with enabling increased use of renewable energy (primarily from offshore wind farms), as Taiwan works toward a goal of achieving net-zero carbon emissions from power generation by 2050. The GE Vernova gas turbines also are capable of hydrogen burning blended with natural gas.

“This plant plays a crucial role in supporting the diversification of energy sources in Taiwan. We are proud to provide fast, flexible and more sustainable aeroderivative gas power—on or off the grid—to support TPC in their energy transition program and support the increased use of renewable solar and wind power,” said Ramesh Singaram, CEO of GE Vernova’s Gas Power for Asia, in a statement after the facility entered operation. “The scope and nature of this EPC [engineering, 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 gas-fired power generation.

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.”

1. Construction of the Tung Hsiao Power Plant Renewal Project took 10 months, from February to December 2022. It is one of several projects in Taiwan that are using or will use equipment from GE Vernova. Courtesy: GE Vernova

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 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.

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

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 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 NO_x 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 diesel-fired 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.