GE Power & Water is celebrating the production of the first 9HA Unit, the world’s largest and most efficient gas turbine technology which has been manufactured at the company’s Belfort Gas Turbine Centre of Excellence in France.
Victor Abate, President and CEO of power generation products at GE Power & Water, said the construction of the gas turbine had been supported by an extensive research program and a billion dollar investment plan executed over the course of several years.
“GE’s HA gas turbine technology is transforming the industry as the world’s largest and most efficient. With more than $1 billion in orders, customers across the globe are recognising the value in the HA turbine,” Mr Abate said in a press release.
“Natural gas is leading the capacity for generation growth, and for the first time ever, more gas generation capacity will be added over the next decade than from any other fuel.”
He said the unit is to be shipped to Bouchain, France, where GE and Électricité de France (EDF) are developing one of the world’s most flexible and efficient gas-fired plants.
“We are excited to celebrate this important step with EDF as we usher in a new era in power generation technology with the construction of the Bouchain power plant,” added Mr Abate.
GE’s 9HA Gas Turbine technology will provide the new gas power generation combined-cycle plant in Bouchain with greater operating flexibility, allowing it to respond quickly to fluctuations in grid demand and pave the way for greater use of renewable energy in support of France’s energy and environmental priorities.
The plant will have a capacity of 575 MW, enough to generate power for 600,000 French homes in less than 30 minutes, at efficiency greater than 61%.
EDF has installed more than 120 GE turbines for projects totalling 12,000 megawatts (MW) of installed capacity over the last four decades.
Umberto Dotta, Vice President of operations, thermal generation and engineering division, EDF, said the project in Bouchain was scheduled to enter commercial service in mid to late 2016 in the Nord Pas-de-Calais region..
“With the HA technology, EDF confirms its focus on innovation and its commitment to implement cutting-edge technologies,” Mr Dotta said.
