The first four GE 7F.05 gas turbines in the field have successfully reached full commercial baseload operation at Saudi Electricity Company’s (SEC) Power Plant (PP) 12 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. By early 2015, all eight units at PP12 will be operating in combined cycle, and add nearly 2000 MW to the power plant’s installed capacity. PP12 is part of Saudi Arabia’s plans to add 33 GW by 2020.
The four machines in operation comprise Block One at PP12. The four remaining units (Block Two) are in commissioning and expected to begin operating by early 2015.
Currently, the four operating 7F.05 gas turbines are running in simple cycle at full baseload on distillate fuel. The plant is expected to be operating on natural gas and in combined cycle mode in early 2015.
Fuel flexibility is a significant feature of the 7F.05 turbines, which can operate on natural gas, distillate fuel or Arabian Super Light crude. GE says these F-class gas turbines are "the first to offer customers the ability to operate on crude oil."
The eight units at PP12 are the first of twenty 7F.05 machines destined for Saudi Arabia — 12 units for PP13 and PP14 will be delivered in late 2014 and early 2015.
Worldwide, GE says, customers have committed to over 55 7F.05 units.
It has been recently announced that Calpine has opted for two 7F.05 gas turbines at its York 2 Energy Center, a 760 MW dual-fuelled 2×1 combined cycle plant to be located near York, Pennsylvania, adjacent to Calpine’s existing York Energy Center in Peach Bottom Township.
York 2 will provide capacity and energy to PJM Interconnection. It will employ DLN 2.6+ combustion technology, reducing NOx to 9 ppm without water injection. NOx emissions will be further reduced at York 2 through the use of post-combustion selective catalytic reduction.
The gas turbines at York 2 will also be able to operate on ultra-low-sulphur diesel fuel oil to provide enhanced flexibility and power plant reliability.
The gas turbines will be built at GE’s Greenville facility, with equipment delivery expected in December 2015.
Photo: Visualisation of Calpine’s York 2 combined cycle plant
