Mitsubishi Power Receives Order of Two Gas Turbines For the Hunter Power Project in Australia

F-series Gas Turbine

・The power plant, built by Snowy Hydro Limited will be built to meet the anticipated shortage of power supply in Australia, commercial operations are scheduled in 2023.

・The plant is also intended to provide necessary dispatchable ‘firmed’ energy, ensuring security and stability to support the volatility that arises from intermittent renewables, and has the potential for hydrogen co-firing to reduce CO2 emissions.

Tokyo, October 18, 2021 – Mitsubishi Power, a power solutions brand of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) has received an order from Snowy Hydro Limited, a dynamic, integrated energy business, for two M701F gas turbines and related auxiliaries equipment for the Hunter Power Project in New South Wales, southeastern region of Australia.

The total power output of the plant will be 660MW and commercial operations are set to begin in 2023. From the standpoint of reducing CO2 emissions, the plant has a potential for up to 15% hydrogen co-firing.

The power plant is located in Hunter Valley, approximately 120km north of Sydney. The project is intended to secure an alternative cleaner power supply following the scheduled shutdown of a large-scale coal-fired power plant in Australia, as well as providing the necessary dispatchable ‘firmed’ energy, ensuring security and stability to support the volatility that arises from intermittent renewables.

Mitsubishi Power will supply the M701F gas turbines, generators, and related auxiliary equipment from Japan through Mitsubishi Power Australia Pty. Ltd. The two gas turbines will be manufactured in Takasago Machinery Works in Hyogo Prefecture, and the generators will be made by Mitsubishi Electric Corporation.

Mr. Nishiyama, Managing Director and CEO of Mitsubishi Power Australia Pty. Ltd. stated “Our M701F gas turbine is one of the most efficient in F class gas turbines in the world and has a proven operation records worldwide, maintaining a high reliability rate of over 99%. We are very pleased that our M701F gas turbines will be able to contribute to the stable power supply in Australia together with increasing renewable energy. Our gas turbine is capable of operating on natural gas, or on a mixture of natural gas and hydrogen. The gas turbines can utilize up to 30% hydrogen for co-firing with current technology and can be configured in the future to operate on 100 percent hydrogen for zero-carbon emissions.”

Mitsubishi Power will continue its efforts to focus on promoting widespread adoption of high-efficiency, environmentally responsible thermal power generation equipment using gas turbines, in order to support the stable electric power, essential for global economic development, and contribute to the realization of a sustainable decarbonized society.