The fleet leader, operated by Kansai Electric, has been in operation since 2011 and has surpassed 26 000 operating hours, while a total of 45 J-Series gas turbines have been ordered globally, “making it the best- selling gas turbine in its size range”, claims MHPS, which developed the J in conjunction with the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry.
MHPS says the J established a world record for turbine inlet temperature of 1600°C (2914°F) with the start of commercial operation in 2011 and this “still stands today”.
The J-Series is also the “only gas turbine with substantial operating experience with a thermal efficiency approaching 62% at ISO conditions in combined cycle”, says MHPS. Furthermore the J-Series is the “only gas turbine with substantial operating experience that has an output exceeding 300 MW at 60 Hz and 450 MW at 50 Hz”, while in combined cycle operation, these units exceed 470 MW and 680 MW output respectively “making them the largest operating units in the world”, MHPS argues.
In addition, says MHPS, “the installed fleet of 20 J-Series turbines has achieved a reliability record that has exceeded 99.2% during the past 2 years”, while “the current operating fleet of 20 J-Series turbines was commissioned either on schedule or in some cases early.”
The most recent order for the J (the 44th and 45th units) was placed in April by Iberdrola for the 890 MW Noroeste combined cycle power plant in Mexico, expected to be on line in 2019. The plant will be equipped with two M501J gas turbines and one MHPS TC4F steam turbine.
Just prior to that, Tenaska placed orders for two M501J turbines (the 42nd and 43rd units) to be deployed at its 2-on-1 925 MW Westmoreland combined cycle plant in South Huntingdon Township, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, USA.
