GE and Caithness Energy have reached an agreement to pursue the development of multiple new combined-cycle power plants in the United States based on GE’s high efficiency H-class gas turbine. The equipment package that GE will deliver as part of the agreement has a total value that could exceed $1 billion.
The package would include up to six power islands each with an HA GT, a steam turbine an HRSG, and other equipment. The agreement is expected to become effective in 31 March, with the six plants projected to be developed during 2017 and 2018.
Les Gelber, president of Caithness Energy: “We’re currently working to bring a new HA plant on line in Pennsylvania in 2018, and with this exclusive agreement Caithness will become the owner of the largest fleet of HA gas turbines … anywhere in the world.”
The GTs included in the agreement, which at the present state of development will perform at greater than 63% net plant thermal efficiency under standard conditions, will be manufactured at the company’s Greenville facility in South Carolina, and the steam turbines at Schenectady, in New York. GE expects also to provide multi-year service agreements for the continued maintenance and operation of each plant.
This agreement will bring Caithness’ fleet of HA gas turbines to eight. Two are included in a plant being built by Caithness Energy and Moxie Energy in Salem Township in Pennsylvania; it will be known as the Caithness Moxie Freedom generation plant. The 1029 MW facility will burn natural gas from the Marcellus Formation, and is due to come on line 2018.
And at Birdsboro …
The Caithness announcement came a few days after GE announced an order for a single shaft engineered equipment package (EEP), based on a 7HA.02 gas turbine for the Ares EIF’s 488 MW Birdsboro Power combined-cycle plant in Birdsboro, Pennsylvania. With financing from GE Capital, Birdsboro is expected to start commercial operation in 2019.
The Birdsboro Power venture was developed by EmberClear Corporation, and the order includes, as well as the GT, one D650 steam turbine, one HRSG, plant controls and additional equipment. The turbines will operate in a single-shaft CC configuration.
This project, which includes a multi-year services agreement for continued maintenance of the facility's power island, marks GE’s 21st HA unit booked in the USA since it was introduced three years ago
