Operator Tokyo Electric Power Co intends to upgrade its fossil-fuel-fired power plant in Chiba Prefecture during 2014. It wants to increase the facility's output by about 500 MW by adding steam turbines to three gas turbines installed at the site.
The utility had already installed the three GTs, combined simple cycle output 1 GW, as part of its emergency measures to deal with a power shortage after last year's earthquake. It now plans to introduce a combined-cycle power system that is calculated to increase the electrical efficiency of the overall plant from 39% to about 58%.
Installation of the steam turbines is to start in February and they are slated to start operating in stages from April to July 2014. The construction cost has not been disclosed.
Through the move, overall output at the Chiba plant will grow to about 4.4GW. Tepco intends to adjust the construction schedule so that its capacity does not decline during this coming summer and the next.
Separately, the utility is setting up three gas turbines at a fossil-fuel-burning power plant in Ibaraki Prefecture. It may in turn also convert these to combined-cycle operation, boosting their output by about 400 MW.
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