GE commissions gas turbines at Chubu Electric’s LNG power plant

GE Power, a unit of the US-based giant General Electric, said Monday that commercial operation had been achieved for Chubu Electric Power’s Nishi-Nagoya power plant Block-1 in Japan.

Featuring GE’s 7HA gas turbine technology and Toshiba’s steam turbine technology, Nishi-Nagoya Block-1 will provide more than 1,188 megawatts of power to the grid with over 62% thermal efficiency. This is equivalent electricity to supply approximately 400,000 average homes in Japan, according to a GE statement.

This milestone follows several years of close collaboration between Chubu, Toshiba and GE to support “highly-efficient” thermal power generation in Japan, the statement notes.

Chubu was initially looking to support the government’s initiative for cleaner, more efficient power generation by replacing its 40-year-old Nishi-Nagoya facility.

The utility selected a higher efficiency and more flexible large block gas turbine that could support multi-shaft (3on1) combined cycle operation, provide low NOx emissions, and run on LNG fuel.

GE is delivering a total of six 7HA.01 gas turbines for Nishi-Nagoya power plant.

According to GE, the 7HA’s fuel flexibility accommodates a wide range of gas and liquid fuels, including high ethane (shale) gas and LNG.