Tung Hsiao Power Plant Renewal

The Tung Hsiao power plant, also known as Tongxiao power plant, is a 2.6GW gas-fired combined-cycle power plant located in Miaoli County, Taiwan.

Owned and operated by Taiwan Power Company (Taipower), the Tung Hsiao gas-fired power plant was built to replace three decommissioned diesel-fired combined-cycle units at the site.

The Tung Hsiao power plant renewal project comprises three 892.6MW gas-fired combined-cycle units commissioned in February 2018, May 2019 and May 2020, respectively.

The Hsiao power complex also houses three more pre-existing diesel-fired combined-cycle units.

The £1.7bn ($2.6bn) Tung Hsiao power plant renewal project increased the power generation capacity at the site from 1.85 million kW to 3.75 million kW. 

Location and site details

The Tung Hsiao combined-cycle renewal project is spread across 0.43km² in the Tung Hsiao Township of Miaoli County, approximately 150km southwest of central Taipei, Taiwan. The site is developed on a quadrilateral land 688m in length and 630m wide.

The project site is situated towards the north side of the Nanshixi exit of Tung Hsiao Township. It is in close proximity to the Xibin Expressway, TungHsiao Railway Station, Nanshi River, and the Taiwan Strait.

Tung Hsiao gas-fired power plant make-up

The Tung Hsiao power plant renewal project consists of three gas-fired combined-cycle power generating islands of 892.6MW capacity each. The plant is designed to operate at 60.7% thermal efficiency with a heat rate of 5,931kJ/kWh.

Each combined-cycle unit of the facility is equipped with two high-efficiency 60HZ M501J gas turbines and a steam turbine supplied by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI), as well as a heat recovery steam generator (HRSG) and three generators.

The project uses three phase 395MVA transformers with an individual rated voltage of 131.6MVA.

The facility is installed with up to 203 seawater pipes for circulation of water at the plant. It is also equipped with air quality control system to reduce SOx and NOx emissions. 

Natural gas supply

The Tung Hsiao combined-cycle power plant receives liquefied natural gas (LNG) by Taiwan’s state-owned energy company CPC. 

Power evacuation

The electricity generated from the Tung Hsiao gas-fired combined-cycle power project is evacuated through a 24.2km-long 345kV overhead power transmission line with 65 towers.

Contractors involved in Tung Hsiao renewal project

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) and CTCI Corporation jointly received a full turnkey order for the construction of the Tung Hsiao natural gas-fired combined plant in September 2013.

MHI manufactured and supplied the gas and steam turbines, while CTCI was responsible for the construction and installation works as well as for the balance of plant (BOP) engineering, procurement, construction (EPC) works.

Mitsubishi Electric supplied the generators for the combined-cycle power plant.

Femco Pipes and Tubes was contracted by Taipower for construction of Tongxiao power plant LNG pipeline project.

Ji-Juang Engineering was engaged for the installation of condenser, while Mong Yu Industrial Company was contracted for piping and instrumental-electrical engineering works.

Pacific Engineers and Construction carried out the environmental impact assessment and feasibility studies for Tung Hsiao power plant renewal.

The Tung Hsiao power plant background

Taipower constructed three diesel-fired combined-cycle units of 760MW total capacity at the Tung Hsiao site in 1967. The power generation units were put into commercial operation by 1972.

Further, units four and five each with a capacity of 386MW were added to the combined-cycle power plant in 1997, while unit six with a generating capacity of 321.2MW was added in 1986 increasing the total output of the plant to about 1,800MW.

The old-aged diesel-based units one, two and three were decommissioned in November 2017.