The first application of GE's H system in 60 Hz combined cycle station.
GE Energy will build the first plant to use a 60 Hz version of its high-efficiency H System combined-cycle gas turbines. Although the company is yet to announce the location of the plant in the US, it says the station will use two 107H systems to produce 775 MW from spring 2008. GE will finance, own and operate the new facility under an agreement with power company Calpine, which will sell the plant’s output through a variety of long, intermediate and short-term contracts.
H System uses advanced combustion technology in the turbines to reach a 60% thermal efficiency, the first combined-cycle system to do so, says GE, which compares the figure with the 58% efficiency of other similar large installations.
Closed-loop steam cooling in the H system allows the use of the high firing temperatures required for high-efficiency operation. Key components of the turbines use single-crystal materials to withstand these temperatures over a long service life.
Toshiba will provide equipment for the plant. It will make the GE-designed compressors, the Toshiba-designed generators and the steam turbines. GE, which has responsibility for overall plant design, will make the gas turbines at its Greenville factory in South Carolina, US. It will also supply the integrated control systems. Shipment of the equipment is expected to begin in March 2006.