Under the project, undertaken by a joint venture of trading company Mitsui & Co. and a Thai power producer, two gas turbine combined cycle power plants will be constructed near Bangkok.
The plants have a combined capacity of 5,300 megawatts, marking the largest-ever order for Mitsubishi Hitachi Power in terms of output capacity. The project is estimated to cost well over 100 billion yen ($918
Mitsubishi Hitachi Power was created in 2014 through the merger of the thermal power generation divisions of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Hitachi.
Combined-cycle facilities generate electricity via gas turbines, then use exhaust heat to create steam for turning a turbine that generates more electricity. In a new twist on the technology that improves efficiency, Mitsubishi Hitachi Power’s facilities will employ air-cooled combustion chambers.
The order includes eight gas turbines with a capacity to produce about 700MW, and eight steam turbines. The facilities will boast a power generation efficiency of 63%, among the highest in the world. Mitsubishi Hitachi Power credits the strong environmental performance as a main factor in securing the deal.