GE Vernova turbine to aid coal-to-gas conversion in South Korea

GE Vernova’s Gas Power business has secured an order from Korea Western Power Co. (KOWEPO), a subsidiary of Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO), to provide a GE Vernova 7HA.02 gas turbine and a H65 generator for a power station in Gongju-si, Chungcheongnam-do, Republic of Korea.

For the project, GE Vernova is part of an international consortium, including the Korean engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) company Daewoo E&C.

KOWEPO’s aged coal-fired plant is expected to be replaced with Gongju-si natural gas power generation, expected to reach an output of 500MW, while enabling future fuel mix combustion of up to 30% by volume of hydrogen, subject to the development of a hydrogen manufacturing industry of an appropriate size and scale.

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A representative from KOWEPO commented, “This power plant will add new capacity, expected to increase power supply security in South Korea while continuing to phase out coal power generation. In addition, it will help expand a more reliable deployment of renewable energy resources in our country as we’ll be more capable to dispatch power quickly in response to grid fluctuations.”

They added, “The new power plant will be capable to operate on up to 30% hydrogen by volume, in line with the national goal to deploy renewables and green hydrogen at large scale and achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.”

The new power plant is planned to begin operation in 2027.

Switching from a coal plant to its gas equivalent can reduce carbon emissions by as much 60%, and lower emissions levels for other pollutants such as mercury, NOx, SOx and particulate matter.

Ramesh Singaram, president and CEO of GE Vernova Gas Power in Asia commented, “In a country with an increasing power demand due to planned coal-fired power plant retirements, we are proud to support a lower-carbon future in Korea.”

Singaram added, “We are committed to providing KOWEPO with our advanced gas turbine technology to accelerate coal phase-out and support an increase in the share of renewables as we work towards lower-carbon gas-based power generation with hydrogen. Once in operation, Gongju-si power plant is expected to be among the most efficient and flexible power plants in the country.”

GE Vernova has been present in South Korea since 1976. The company’s gas turbines (simple and combined cycle) in the country have a 14GW capacity with an installed base of over 78 units. In 2015, GE Vernova undertook a large-scale manufacturing plant investment in Changwon, South Korea, by acquiring Doosan’s HRSG business.