Southeast Asia’s First M701JAC Gas Turbine Begins Commercial Operation at Ultra-large-scale GTCC Power Plant Project in Thailand
Total Output Will be 5,300MW, for a Joint Venture between Gulf Group and Mitsui
Southeast Asia’s first M701JAC goes online at plant in Chonburi Province operated by Gulf SRC
Concerted efforts by all parties enabled launch on schedule, despite ongoing Coronavirus pandemic
Mitsubishi Power, a subsidiary of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Group, inaugurated operation of a newly completed M701JAC gas turbine, which will serve as a core component in a project to build two natural gas-fired power plants in Thailand on March 31. The newly inaugurated M701JAC joins the global fleet of J-Series and JAC-Series gas turbines that have amassed more than 1.3 million operating hours; with 83 units ordered across the globe. The project is part of a joint venture between Gulf Energy Development Public Company Limited, one of Thailand’s largest independent power producers (IPP), and Mitsui & Co., Ltd. The M701JAC is the first of eight units ordered on a full-turnkey basis in 2018 and is the first of its kind in Southeast Asia. These eight units will comprise gas turbine combined cycle (GTCC) systems with a total output of 5,300 megawatts (MW). A 25-year long-term service agreement (LTSA) for these units is also in effect. The construction of the remaining seven units have commenced and are scheduled for full launch of commercial operations in 2024.
The two ultra-large-scale power plants are under construction in Chonburi and Rayong Provinces, approximately 130 kilometers southeast of Bangkok. Each plant will have an output of 2,650MW and use natural gas as its primary fuel source, along with four power trains each incorporating a gas turbine, steam turbine, heat recovery steam generator and generator. Mitsubishi Power will manufacture and supply the gas and steam turbines as well as ancillary equipment, while Mitsubishi Electric Corporation will provide the generators. The power generated will be sold to the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) to support providing the country with a reliable and highly efficient source of clean energy.
The newly inaugurated M701JAC is a core component of the power plant in Chonburi Province, which is operated by Gulf SRC Company Limited*. At a time when the global coronavirus pandemic is impacting equipment deliveries and installations as a whole due to logistical issues and difficulty in sending engineers to project sites, operation of the first gas turbine unit is on schedule thanks to the concerted efforts of all parties involved.
Mrs. Porntipa Chinvetkitvanit, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Gulf Energy Development Public Company Limited, welcomed the inaugural achievement. “We offer our praise and appreciation for the way everyone at Mitsubishi Power worked diligently to enable the launch of the project’s first gas turbine on schedule, even amidst the pandemic. This initial success supports our expectations that the company will continue to exercise outstanding project management to enable all eight units to go online on schedule.”
Koji Nishikawa, President and Managing Director of Mitsubishi Power (Thailand), spoke of his company’s commitment to its work in Thailand. “We are pleased to continue supporting Thailand’s push for sustainable economic development through our highly efficient and reliable gas turbines. Going forward, we will continue our longstanding commitment to the country as we work to bring the remaining seven units online to grow a stable supply of power in Thailand.”
Mitsubishi Power is building a steady track record in large-scale gas turbine installations in Thailand. In 2011, the Company received full-turnkey orders from a company backed by Gulf Energy Development to construct GTCC plants at Nong Saeng and U Thai; the plants began commercial operations in 2014 and
2015, respectively. In 2020, an order was received from Hin Kong Power Company Limited, another company jointly established by Gulf Energy Development, for a GTCC plant consisting of two M701JAC gas turbines.
Mitsubishi Power is committed toward helping build a more sustainable energy future in Thailand through the new power plants in Chonburi and Rayong. Going beyond this, Mitsubishi Power will continue to encourage adoption of its J-Series gas turbines, to deliver reliable and clean energy that will create a future that works for people and the planet.
* The power plant in Rayong Province is operated by Gulf PD Company Limited.
About Mitsubishi Power, Ltd.
Mitsubishi Power, Ltd. is a leading provider and innovator of technology and solutions for the global energy sector. Headquartered in Yokohama, Japan, it is a wholly owned subsidiary of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd., whose engineering and manufacturing businesses span energy, infrastructure, transport, aerospace and defense. With more than 18,000 employees across more than 30 countries worldwide, Mitsubishi Power designs, manufactures and maintains equipment and systems that drive decarbonization and ensure delivery of reliable power around the world. Among its solutions are a wide range of gas turbines including hydrogen-fueled gas turbines, solid-oxide fuel cells (SOFCs), and air quality control systems (AQCS). Committed to providing exemplary service and working with customers to imagine the future of energy, Mitsubishi Power is also spearheading the development of the digital power plant through its suite of AI-enabled TOMONITM solutions.
