GE has been selected by Korea Western Power Co (KOWEPO) for the first integrated gasification combined-cycle (IGCC) power plant to be built in South Korea and one of the first in Asia. The 300 MW “cleaner coal” facility will help the South Korean government meet its low carbon emissions targets, while bolstering the country’s electricity supply and of course, is a welcome development for the global coal industry and its major equipment suppliers as these types of more environmentally friendly coal-based plants will form an important proportion of demand over the long term.

GE will supply a 7F Syngas Turbine, a D11 steam turbine, a heat recovery steam generator and a cyber security-featured Mark VIe integrated control system (ICS) that will run the power island control system for the new plant. GE also will provide 10 years of maintenance services for the facility, located 20 km northwest of the city of Taean-Eub and about 100 km south of Seoul. The Taean IGCC project is the first commercial gasification combined-cycle plant to be developed under South Korea’s Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard (RPS). The government has provided research and development funding for the gasification process. “The South Korean government is mindful of the need to reduce the country’s carbon footprint while ensuring security of energy supply. Through the application of GE technology, we will be able to use coal, the most abundant source of primary energy, in a more environmentally friendly manner,” said Kyong-Il Ohm, general manager of the mechanical engineering and procurement team for KOWEPO. “We believe that GE’s 7F Syngas Turbine and engineering solution offer the best fit for this IGCC project, providing high efficiency, fuel diversity, operating flexibility and low maintenance costs.”

Specifically designed for IGCC applications, GE’s 7F Syngas Turbine operates on cleaner burning syngas fuel produced from coal. For the Taean plant, the turbine will operate on syngas produced from the gasification of low BTU coal. Key equipment for the project will be shipped during the first half of 2014, with the plant’s commercial operation to start in late 2015. GE is a pioneer in the development of syngas turbine technology and has provided syngas-capable gas turbines for several milestone IGCC projects, including the pilot Coolwater IGCC plant in Barstow, California and Tampa Electric’s 250 MW Polk Power Station in Florida.