Mitsubishi Power gas turbines to power Canadian plant's shift from coal

Capital Power has ordered Mitsubishi Power M501JAC gas turbines to repower Genesee Units 1 and 2 from coal to natural gas. Rendering shows gas turbines in the foreground.[/caption]

Capital Power ordered two Mitsubishi Power M501JAC gas turbines to repower its Genesee Units 1 and 2 in Alberta, Canada, from coal to natural gas.

The units will combine air-cooled combustion turbines and heat recovery steam generators with the existing steam turbine generators. With greater than 64 percent efficiency, the Genesee units will be the most efficient combined cycle plants in Canada. The plant will provide 1,360 MW of net capacity, and carbon emissions intensity will decrease by approximately 60 percent to a level below the Alberta Technology Innovation and Emissions Reduction (TIER) regulation benchmark.

The M501JAC gas turbines are hydrogen-capable to support future decarbonization. They will be able to operate on a mixture of natural gas and up to 30 percent hydrogen. The units can be converted in the future to operate on 100 percent hydrogen for zero carbon emissions, enhancing Capital Power’s standing as among the cleanest large-scale power generators in Canada.

The repowering project timeline calls for the units to operate in natural gas simple cycle mode during construction, allowing the Genesee station to be off coal in 2023, with expected repowering completion of Unit 1 in 2023 and Unit 2 in 2024. The project is expected to employ up to 500 workers during peak construction phases.

The M501JAC gas turbines’ flexibility and efficiency will enable Capital Power to balance more intermittent renewable energy resources in Alberta. Capital Power is adding roughly 260 MW of solar and wind energy with delivery between now and 2022.