Taiwan, Saudi orders tighten 60‑Hz gas turbine supply

Their global heavy-duty order share nearly tripled from 13% in the prior five years.

Annual gas power demand from traditional 60 Hz markets, including the US, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Canada, Taiwan, and parts of Japan, is expected to average around 56 gigawatts (GW) over the next five years, according to Rystad Energy.

Taiwan and Saudi Arabia's rising orders are adding pressure to an already tight 60 Hz supply pool.

"Based on the historical near-even split between 50-Hz and 60-Hz output, effective 60-Hz capacity is estimated at no more than around 40GW per year," the research firm said in its report, "Gas Turbine Supply Chain Evolving to Meet Demand," published on 11 September.

Global gas turbine manufacturing capacity is projected to rise to 126 GW by 2030 from 98 GW this year as manufacturers scale up to meet demand.

However, 50 Hz capacity cannot be readily reconfigured for 60 Hz production, leaving effective 60 Hz supply far tighter than the headline growth suggests.

"Together, Saudi Arabia and Taiwan accounted for around 38% of global 60 Hz heavy-duty turbine orders over the past five years, up from 13% in the preceding five-year period," the research firm said.

Taiwan's nuclear phaseout, alongside its semiconductor sector's expansion, is expected to add about 6 GW of gas-fired capacity by the end of 2026.

Saudi Arabia's electrification strategy, meanwhile, targets an additional 12 GW of gas-fired capacity by 2034.

Global gas turbine orders reached a record 100 GW last year, 30% above original equipment manufacturer capacity at the time, with contract activity in the first half of 2026 suggesting orders could hit around 130GW this year if the pace holds.

F-, H-, and J-class turbines, which serve utility-scale generation and grid-connected artificial intelligence data centres, have commanded prices at the upper end of new-order ranges over the past two years, the report noted.