High Efficiency Gas Turbines
The latest in gas turbine technology is being installed at Kwinana Power Station adding 200MW of high efficiency gas turbine plant (HEGTs) to Verve Energy’s portfolio.
The plant comprises two 100MW open-cycle gas turbines. General Electric is supplying the LMS100 turbines and UGL is installing and commissioning them.
The $263 million State Government-funded project will be completed in 2012.
The generating capacity from the HEGTs will help maintain a secure supply of electricity and meet demand for power in WA.
The machines, derivative of the engines on large passenger aircraft, combine excellent efficiency and extremely flexible operating capabilities. In particular their fast-start capability (10 minutes to full load) is perfect for the South West Interconnected System (SWIS) and Verve Energy’s system balancing obligations, particularly in supporting wind power in the system.
Their efficiency will be up to 43% at full-load, 37% at half-load. This compares to other open-cycle gas turbines in Verve Energy’s current portfolio (such as those at Pinjar) which record efficiencies of 29% at full-load and 24% at half-load.
The HEGTs will improve Verve Energy’s overall plant efficiency by making better use of fuel. The units will also reduce emissions and lower the carbon intensity of our generation portfolio.
The HEGTs are being built on the site of two 35-year-old gas-fired generating units, Stage B, which were demolished in 2011. Gas freed up by the shutdown of Stage B will be used by the new HEGTs.
Importantly, in the interests of energy security, the HEGTs will also be able to burn distillate.
The HEGT features include:
- Flexibility to provide power at part-load as efficiently as most gas turbines at full load
- Flexibility to provide full load operation in less than 10 minutes
- Sustained hot day performance
- No maintenance penalty for multiple stop-start cycles per day
- Environmental benefits from reduced carbon emissions as the result of improved efficiency
- Improve Verve Energy’s overall plant efficiency, making better use of an increasingly expensive fuel source and lowering the carbon intensity of the generation portfolio.