Chia Hui Power Plant Expansion

The Chia Hui combined-cycle natural gas-fired power plant, located in the Chiayi county of Taiwan, has been expanded with a 535MW new combined-cycle unit commissioned in August 2021. Independent power producer Chiahui Power Corporation, a subsidiary of Asia Cement Corporation, owns and operates the facility.

The 670MW Chia Hui phase one combined-cycle power plant has been operational since December 2003, while the key contract for the 535MW phase two expansion was awarded in December 2018. The construction works on the expansion project, Chia Hui II, were started in the first quarter of 2019.

The Chia Hui II combined-cycle power project is developed in line with Taiwan’s Renewable Energy Development Act (REDA) energy policy, which aims to increase the country’s gas-fired power ratio to 50% by 2025.

The new facility is intended to operate as a combined heat and power (CHP) plant that can supply electricity to approximately 600,000 Taiwanese homes as well as provide steam for district heating for the residents of the Chiayi province.

Location

The Chia Hui combined-cycle power station is located in the Minxiong Township, Chiayi County, Taiwan, approximately 200km south-west of Taipei.

Chia Hui phase two power plant make-up

The 535MW Chia Hui co-generation plant comprises a single combined-cycle block supplied by General Electric (GE) on a turnkey basis.

The plant is equipped with a GE 7HA.02 heavy-duty gas turbine powering an H65 generator,  a GE STF-A650 steam turbine coupled with an H33 generator, and a heat recovery steam generator (HRSG) also provided by GE. The 7HA.02 combustion turbine provides a net combined-cycle efficiency of up to 64%.

The Chia Hui phase two combined-cycle power plant is integrated with GE’s Mark VIe distributed control system (DCS) software solution for improved reliability and availability, while GE’s Digital Energy Predix asset performance management (APM) software will help optimise the plant’s operation and maintenance (O&M) efficiency incorporating big data analytics.

Contractors involved in the Chia Hui power plant expansion

GE was awarded a turnkey contract for the Chia Hui power plant phase two expansion by Chiahui Power Corporation in December 2018.

The contractual scope included the manufacturing and supply of turbines, generators and associated equipment, as well as a ten-year service and maintenance agreement for the 535MW plant.

Flenco Fluid System was subcontracted by GE (Switzerland) for the supply of auxiliary systems for the new plant.

CTCI Corporation, an engineering and construction company based in Taiwan, was engaged in the construction works, including the mechanical, electrical and instrumentation (E&I), and piping installation works for the Chia Hui power plant phase two in April 2019.

SVS Consultancy Engineering provided detailed design services to Prokon and Mott MacDonald for the main pipe rack, while Unibuild Consultancy was subcontracted by Mott MacDonald for civil and structural design and engineering services for the plant.

Gibsin Engineers, a Taiwan-US engineering joint venture based in Taipei, was selected to act as the owner’s engineer and provide construction management services for the project.

Jurong Engineering (JEL), an engineering and construction company based in Singapore, was subcontracted by GE for the civil and piping fabrication works as well as the construction of the gas-insulated switchgear substation (GIS) building.

SPG Dry Cooling was contracted by Chiahui Power Corporation to design, manufacture and deliver a W-style, induced draft air-cooled condenser (ACC).

Best Tech and Engineering, a wholly-owned subsidiary of BT Wealth Industries Public Company (BTW), was contracted for the boiler casting, inlet duct, and stack fabrication for the Chia Hui II gas-fired power plant in the first quarter of 2019.

Chia Hui phase one gas-fired power station details

The 670MW phase one of the Chia Hui gas-fired power plant was constructed by Japan-based Electric Power Development Company (J-POWER) in collaboration with Taiwan-based Asia Cement Corporation between January 2002 and December 2003.

The combined-cycle plant is equipped with three GE 7FA gas turbines and generators. The entire electricity output is being sold to Taiwan Power Company (Taipower) under a 25-year power purchase agreement (PPA).

The power station receives gas supply under a 25-year purchase agreement signed with China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC).