According to a recent statement, GE has announced an order for a single shaft engineered equipment package (EEP), with a high-efficiency 7HA.02 gas turbine at its heart, to power the new Ares EIF Birdsboro Power combined-cycle power plant in Birdsboro, Pennsylvania. With the help of GE’s latest power generation technology and financing from GE Capital, Birdsboro Power is expected to produce 488 MW upon commercial operation in 2019.
“We are pleased to bring this new plant online, which will help continue the shift to cleaner, more cost-effective power in the PJM region,” said Mark Voccola, Partner, Ares EIF, within the Ares Private Equity Group. “The abundance of low-cost natural gas in Pennsylvania means GE’s large, high-efficiency 7HA.02 technology is a great fit, supporting the region’s increased use of natural gas for power generation.”
The Birdsboro Power project was developed by EmberClear Corporation, and the order includes one 7HA.02 gas turbine, one D650 steam turbine, one heat recovery steam generator (HRSG), plant controls and additional equipment. The gas turbine will be manufactured in Greenville, South Carolina, and the steam turbine in Schenectady, New York. The turbines will operate in single-shaft combined-cycle configurations, providing the flexibility required to add highly-efficient, reliable power to the grid as needed.
“The Birdsboro power project underscores the strength of the GE Store,” said Joe Mastrangelo, President & CEO, GE Gas Power Systems. “Starting with our expanded portfolio of products and solutions, we’re proud to have every major component in this power island GE-made, bringing decades of experience and component know-how, to extract the maximum value out of every piece of equipment as they work in unison. Our ability to provide financing helps this plant move one step closer to fruition.”
This project marks GE’s 21st HA unit booked in the U.S. The HA is GE’s largest and most efficient gas turbine, and in June 2016, GE set a world record for powering the world’s most efficient combined-cycle power plant with its HA technology. GE’s Power Services has also signed a multi-year services agreement for continued maintenance of the facility's power generation equipment.
Edited by
Alicia Young
