On 28 February GE today announced the start of commercial operations at GS Power’s Anyang combined heat and power plant unit 2-2 in Anyang City, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. The modernisation project consisted of the renewal of older gas-powered assets with the latest turbine technology including one GE 7HA.02 gas turbine, with a matching GT H65 generator, one STF D650 steam turbine and a ST A39 generator, along with a Mark VIe distributed control system (DCS) software solution and services to support the availability and reliability of the plant. The updated plant now delivers approximately 500 MWe, while providing steam for district heating to more than 180 000 Anyang residents. GE says that despite the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic and extraordinary heavy rains and typhoons, the commissioning work was executed safely to ensure the plant achieved commercial operations one week ahead of schedule.
The Anyang HA technology is capable of reaching close to 62.2% net plant efficiency in combined cycle and more than 93% efficiency in district heating mode, says GE. A GS Power spokesman commented: “This project is contributing towards the country’s goal laid out in the government’s Green New Deal to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050”. The modernisation is expected to achieve more than 13.8% points of additional efficiency for electricity generation.
The project was faced with unprecedented challenges during the construction phase. As COVID-19 pandemic infection rates climbed rapidly in the country, restrictions on travel reduced the availability and mobilisation of resources. Transportation of power generation equipment was also handicapped by extraordinarily heavy rains during the typhoon season. Although this posed a significant challenge, commercial operation was achieved ahead of schedule through the use of a modular-based construction process – whereby large components of the plant were manufactured and shipped ready–assembled to the construction site.
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