GE to Replace TVA’s Coal Units with Cleaner, High-Efficiency H-Class Gas Turbines
January 15, 2015
- Two 7HA.02 Gas Turbines to Replace Three Coal-Fired Units, Providing High Efficiency and Lowering Emissions to Help Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) Meet Agreement with U.S. EPA
- Plant to Support Memphis Area and Region with Cleaner, Reliable Energy
- TVA Project Marks the 15th HA Order
SCHENECTADY, N.Y.—January 15, 2015—In the 55 years since the Thomas H. Allen Fossil Plant was commissioned in Memphis, Tennessee, energy technology has evolved tremendously and environmental laws have tightened. To take advantage of enhanced technology and help meet environmental requirements, the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) is moving ahead with plans to replace the fossil plant. GE (NYSE: GE) announced today that it has received an order from the TVA to supply two high-efficiency 7HA.02 gas turbine generators for the new combined-cycle Allen plant.
The new plant will replace three coal-fired units that are being retired as TVA works toward a December 2018 deadline from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to reduce coal emissions. GE’s 7HA.02 gas turbines run on natural gas and are the world’s largest and most-efficient 60-hertz gas turbines. In baseload operation, a 2X1 7HA.02 combined-cycle power plant, when compared to a typical coal fired power plant, will reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by approximately 65 percent and reduce both sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions by over 95 percent. The TVA Allen plant will have the capacity to generate 1,000 megawatts of power in combined-cycle mode, the equivalent power that would be needed to supply 1 million U.S. homes.
“TVA has a strong plan to meet its obligations with the EPA while providing its customers with efficient, reliable power generation technologies,” said Vic Abate, president and CEO, power generation products at GE Power & Water. “GE’s H-class technology is transforming the industry, and we feel it is the best power solution for TVA and the greater Memphis region.”
The current coal plant was originally built by Memphis Light, Gas and Water Division and generates electricity for the Memphis area and a larger part of the western region covered by the TVA, as will the new combined-cycle plant.
GE’s 7HA technology offers a net combined-cycle efficiency of more than 61 percent, leading the industry with cleaner, reliable and cost-effective conversion of fuel to electricity. The HA gas turbines also feature GE’s prime packaging, a modular packaging configuration that helps to enable a shorter installation schedule. The gas turbines are expected to be delivered to the site in August 2016 with commercial operation planned for May 2018.
With the TVA project, 15 HA units have been ordered by customers around the world. In addition to the United States, GE’s H-class technology has been embraced by customers in Japan, the United Kingdom, Brazil, South Korea, France, Russia, Germany and Turkey.
“Every country and every customer faces unique energy issues,” said Abate. “But customers around the world recognize the tremendous life-cycle value provided by GE’s HA technology.”
GE’s latest HA gas turbines build off the learnings of both its operating fleet of more than 4,500 air-cooled heavy-duty gas turbines with accumulated operation of more than 180 million hours and its decade of steam-cooled H-class gas turbine operating experience. GE technology advancements are fueled through the long history of its Aviation business and innovations from its Global Research Center.
About Tennessee Valley Authority
The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) is a corporate agency of the United States that provides electricity for business customers and local power distributors serving 9 million people in parts of seven southeastern states. TVA receives no taxpayer funding, deriving virtually all of its revenues from sales of electricity. In addition to operating and investing its revenues in its electric system, TVA provides flood control, navigation and land management for the Tennessee River system and assists local power companies and state and local governments with economic development and job creation.
About GE
GE (NYSE: GE) works on things that matter. The best people and the best technologies taking on the toughest challenges. Finding solutions in energy, health and home, transportation and finance. Building, powering, moving and curing the world. Not just imagining. Doing. GE works. For more information, visit the company's website at www.ge.com.
About GE Power & Water
GE Power & Water provides customers with a broad array of power generation, energy delivery and water process technologies to solve their challenges locally. Power & Water works in all areas of the energy industry including renewable resources such as wind and solar; biogas and alternative fuels; and coal, oil, natural gas and nuclear energy. The business also develops advanced technologies to help solve the world’s most complex challenges related to water availability and quality. Power & Water’s six business units include Distributed Power, Nuclear Energy, Power Generation Products, Power Generation Services, Renewable Energy and Water & Process Technologies. Headquartered in Schenectady, N.Y., Power & Water is GE’s largest industrial business.
For more information, visit the company's website at www.gepower.com and http://powergen.gepower.com.
Follow GE Power & Water and GE Power Generation on Twitter @GE_PowerWater and @ge_powergen.
To track progress of the first HA Gas Turbine and get more information, please visit:http://efficiency.gepower.com/media.html or follow the turbine on Twitter @HArriet_GE.
