GE has announced that the Taiwan Power Company (TPC)’s Tung Hsiao Power Plant in Miaoli County has safely and successfully started grid-connected trial runs in January 2023 using six GE LM2500XPRESS aeroderivative gas turbines. The project was installed within 10 months following the start of construction in February 2022. The highly modular units can deliver up to 180 MWe to support the intermittent supply from nearby offshore wind power plants that are currently under construction, and provide the necessary additional flexibility to accelerate coal-to-gas transition and support renewables growth in alignment with Taiwan’s target of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.
Gas power generation continues to play a crucial role in facilitating Taiwan’s transition to a lower carbon future. The Tung Hsiao Power Plant Renewal Project supports Taiwan’s Renewable Energy Development Act (REDA) energy policy which seeks to increase the gas-fired power ratio to 50% by 2025.
The installed GE aeroderivative gas turbines can run on high blends of hydrogen with a future path towards a 100% hydrogen combustion to further support the country’s decarbonisation initiatives. increase the blending of hydrogen and natural gas now and in the future.
Tung Hsiao Power Plant Renewal Project is a first-of-its-kind aeroderivative gas turbine technology installation in Taiwan, and is said to provide excellent grid firming capabilities with attributes like 8 minute fast start from cold metal to full load, to the ability to perform daily starts without impacting maintenance cycles.
GE has been playing a significant role in supporting the development of the energy system in Taiwan since 1961 – GE-built power generation technologies are installed throughout Taiwan with over 30 gas turbines providing close to 6000 MW of installed capacity.