Mitsubishi Power ships first American-manufactured JAC turbine to Illinois

Mitsubishi Power’s first JAC gas turbine manufactured in America under way on the Savannah River, beginning its journey from Georgia to J-POWER USA’s 1,200 MW Jackson Generation project in Illinois.[/caption]

Mitsubishi Power shipped the first JAC gas turbine manufactured in America to J-POWER USA Development Co. Ltd. for its 1,200 MW Jackson Generation project in Elwood, Illinois.

The project supports the state’s commitment to renewable energy by providing efficient, flexible generation that complements additional wind and solar energy and reduces Illinois’ dependence on coal-fired generation. The M501JAC gas turbine in transit to Illinois is the first of two that Mitsubishi Power’s Savannah Machinery Works is manufacturing for the project and will be the first M501JAC installed in North America.

The Jackson Generation project’s combined-cycle power plant will be dispatched into the PJM regional transmission organization. It will help modernize and diversify Illinois’ power grid while generating enough electricity to power 1.2 million homes.

When the plant enters commercial service in 2022, it will be one of the world’s most fuel-efficient natural gas power plants, offering among the lowest carbon emissions of any combined-cycle plant. The project will produce 65 percent less carbon dioxide than a legacy coal-fired power plant. Because the plant is designed to enable more uptake of renewable power, the carbon reduction will be even greater when the plant is combined with renewables. The plant will be able to cycle quickly to meet fluctuating energy demands. It also will incorporate best available control technology to minimize emissions.

The JAC gas turbine’s fuel flexibility will enable the plant to use locally available fuel with higher ethane content, significantly improving project economics. The fuel flexibility combined with high efficiency will ultimately reduce electricity cost for consumers.

Introduced nearly a decade ago, the J-Series gas turbines, which are Mitsubishi Power’s largest, deliver a combination of 99.6 percent reliability and greater than 64 percent efficiency. The fleet has logged more than 1 million operating hours globally.

The original steam-cooled M501J design was upgraded with an enhanced air-cooled configuration in 2015. Since then, the JAC has logged more than 20,000 operating hours and 1,100 starts and has been verified at Mitsubishi Power’s grid-connected T-Point 2 facility in Japan. Mitsubishi Power’s rigorous verification process ensures high reliability both during start-up and once the turbine enters commercial service.

Like its twin, the second turbine for J-POWER USA’s Jackson Generation plant is being manufactured at Mitsubishi Power’s Savannah Machinery Works. The world-class facility opened in 2010 and today manufactures key gas turbine parts, provides complete steam turbine services, and manufactures advanced fuel-efficient gas turbines. The facility employs more than 180 people.